asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a deserted wife's allowance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 12 in view of the fact that she has very little income and is unaware of the whereabouts of her husband; and if he will confirm that the allowance will now be issued.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
629.
The claim of the person concerned to deserted wife's allowance-benefit is under investigation. Subsequent to the claimant being interviewed in connection with her claim arrangements have been made by an officer of my Department to see her husband in order to obtain his version of the circumstances. This is a normal requirement in this type of case.
On receipt of this report, a decision will be given and the claimant notified of the outcome.
630.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The person concerned is being paid disability benefit at regular weekly intervals and payment has been made to 7 May 1983. A form on which to claim invalidity pension has been forwarded to him.
631.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the regular payment of disability benefit at the full rate to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 17 December 1980 and has been paid to 7 May 1983. Future payments will be issued on a regular weekly basis.
Payments in respect of claimant's eldest child who attained 18 years of age on 26 November 1982 should have ceased from that date but payment continued to 19 February 1983 resulting in an overpayment of £85.72. Arrangements were made to recover the overpayment from his current rate of benefit by deductions of £3.00 per week effective from 21 February 1983. His present weekly rate of benefit is £75.00 (less £3.00 deduction) which is the maximum amount payable to a married couple with three dependent children.
632.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will restore unemployment assistance payments at the full rate to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned has appealed against the amount of means assessed against him and his case has been referred to a social welfare officer for additional inquiries about the renting of land. When these are completed his case will be submitted to an appeals officer for determination and the rate of unemployment assistance payable to him will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.
In the meantime, payments of unemployment assistance at the weekly rate of £12.40 being the maximum rate payable to him £89.30 less means £76.90 continue to be made to him as they become due.
633.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the payment of a death grant to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
One of the conditions for the receipt of a death grant is that there must be not less than 26 contribution weeks of insurable employment for which the appropriate contributions have been paid between 1 October 1970 and date of death or attainment of pension age.
The deceased was over pensionable age on 1 October 1970 and, as employment contributions reckonable for the grant are not payable in respect of a person who has attained pensionable age, the above condition is not satisfied and a death grant is not payable in respect of him.
634.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the payment of an old age pension at the full rate to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The old age pension claim of the person concerned has been investigated and referred to the local pension committee for decision. Pension at the maximum rate of £34.45 has been recommended with effect from 18 March 1983. The appropriate pension book has been issued pending the committee's decision and the arrears due are in course of issue.
635.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the immediate payment of a deserted wife's allowance to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
One of the conditions for receipt of a deserted wife's payment is that the husband has left of his own volition. The deciding officer held that this condition was not satisfied in this case and the claim of the person concerned to deserted wife's allowance/benefit was accordingly refused.
The claimant has been notified of the decision and of her right of appeal if she is dissatisfied with it.
636.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the payment of an old age pension at the maximum rate plus the adult dependant and child dependant allowances to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The repeat claim for old age pension of the person concerned has been referred to an appeals officer for decision. Pension at the rate of £38.05 including dependent spouse and child allowance is in payment pending the appeals officer's decision.
637.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the payment of disability benefit on a weekly basis to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 21 October 1981, but was not entitled to payment as she had not the required minimum of 26 contributions paid or credited in the 1979-80 contribution year governing her claim during 1981. According to the records of the Department she had no contributions paid or credited in 1979-80.
She was not entitled to payment in 1982 as she had only 19 contributions paid in 1980-81, the contribution year governing her claim during 1982.
From 3 January 1983 the governing contribution year is 1981-82 and as she had 23 contributions paid and 23 credited she is qualified for payment at a reduced rate. Payment of disability benefit has been issued as medical certificates are received in my Department and she has been paid to 6 April 1983 the date of the latest medical certificate received.
The person concerned has been submitting medical certificates at monthly intervals. She has now been requested to forward medical certificates at regular weekly intervals and she will then be paid weekly.
638.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the payment of a retirement pension at the maximum rate to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned is in receipt of retirement pension at the rate appropriate to his yearly average of 32 qualifying contributions over the period from 5 January 1953 to 31 December 1977. He would need to have a yearly average of 48 such contributions in order to qualify for the pension at the maximum rate.
He is also in receipt of a pro-rata rate British pension, under EEC Regulations, in respect of contributions paid in the United Kingdom.
639.
(Limerick West) asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed on the grounds that his means, derived from beneficial occupation of his wife's land, exceeded the statutory limit. The assessment of means was subsequently upheld by an appeals officer and the applicant ceased to sign as unemployed after 7 December 1982.
However, the Deputy recently furnished copies of certified accounts related to the cost of running the farm and these documents are being submitted to the appeals officer for consideration as to whether they constitute new evidence which was not available to him when he determined the case.
His entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.
640.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will restore a free electricity allowance to a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
The ESB have been instructed to re-apply a free electricity allowance to the account of the person concerned from the date it was inadvertently terminated.
641.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the immediate payment of unemployment benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 14 September 1982. Prolonged inquiries have been necessary to establish that the condition of having had insurable employment since his return from the United Kingdom has been satisfied for the purpose of the transfer under the EEC Regulations of his contributions from the United Kingdom. When these inquiries are completed his entitlement to unemployment benefit will be determined.
He has applied recently for unemployment assistance and inquiries are at present being made to establish his means for this purpose. When the inquiries are completed his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be determined.
642.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will restore unemployment assistance at the maximum rate to a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
The person concerned appealed against the assessment of his means at £42.70 weekly derived from the benefit of his wife's earnings and from land and his case was referred to an appeals officer for determination.
The appeals officer reduced the assessment of his means to £40.00 weekly with effect from 15 September 1982. He is accordingly entitled to unemployment assistance at £17.95 weekly being the maximum rate payable to him £57.95 less £40.00. An adjusting payment representing arrears due is being made to him this week. Further weekly payments at £17.95 will be made as they become due.
643.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will expedite the approval of a claim for disability benefit by a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon; and the reason for the delay.
The person concerned was paid disability benefit from 1 July 1974 to 12 June 1982, after which date payment was discontinued following examination by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that he was capable of work.
He appealed against the decision to disallow his claim to benefit and in this connection he was examined on 14 September 1982 by a different medical referee who also considered him to be capable of work. His case was then referred to an appeals officer who upheld the decision to disallow payment of disability benefit in respect of the period from 14 June 1982 to 21 October 1982 (date of the latest medical certificate before him).
The claimant has continued to submit medical evidence of incapacity for work. Consequently arrangements have been made for a further medical examination on 24 May 1983. His claim to benefit from 22 October 1982 will be reviewed in the light of the medical referee's report following this examination.
644.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to pay arrears of dental benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned claimed dental benefit on 15 January 1982. In order to qualify for this benefit claimants must satisfy certain contribution conditions, one of which requires persons over 21 years of age to have not less than 26 contributions paid or credited in the governing contribution year. The governing contribution year in this case was the 1980-81 contribution year (6 April 1980 to 5 April 1981). According to the records of the Department a total of nine contributions only had been paid in respect of her employment in that year and, therefore, her claim could not be approved.
Both the claimant and her dentist were advised of the position on 3 March 1982.
645.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when arrears of disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
The person concerned was paid disability benefit from 7 June 1982 to 3 February 1983 when payment was disallowed following examination by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that she was capable of work.
She appealed against the disallowance and in this connection she was examined on 12 April 1983 by a different medical referee who considered that she was incapable of work.
Payment of benefit was restored and a cheque covering the period from 4 February 1983 to 21 April 1983, the date of the latest medical certificate received, was issued to her on 4 May 1983.
646.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is aware that a person (details supplied) in County Limerick has furnished six medical certificates to his Department in respect of his claim for disability benefit and that he has received only one payment; and the reason for the confusion and delay in this case.
The person concerned claimed occupational injury benefit on 24 February 1983 in respect of an incapacity alleged to have resulted from an accident at work on 19 February 1983.
Pending the completion of investigations arising from the accident he was awarded disability benefit on an interim basis from 24 February, the fourth day of incapacity. He was paid disability benefit in respect of the period to 15 March.
There was a delay in issuing payments subsequently but all payments, including pay-related benefit which has been awarded from 7 March, the thirteenth day of incapacity, have now been issued in respect of the period to 3 May, the date of the latest medical evidence received.
In response to an inquiry made in connection with the occupational accident the employers stated that they did not have a report of the alleged accident. It was necessary accordingly to have further inquiries made by an outdoor officer. A decision on the claim to injury benefit will be made as soon as possible.
647.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when arrears of disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
The person concerned claimed occupational injury benefit on 4 October 1982 in respect of an incapacity resulting from an accident at work on 27 September 1982. Pending the completion of investigations arising from the accident he was paid disability benefit on an interim basis from 1 October 1982, the fourth day of incapacity, together with pay-related benefit from 12 October 1982, thirteenth day of incapacity.
Following investigations, he was awarded injury benefit on 16 February 1983 from 27 September, the date of the accident. Injury benefit over and above disability benefit already paid in respect of the period to 7 February 1983 was paid on 18 February. Payments continued to be made to 26 March 1983, the maximum period of 26 weeks.
The claimant was then transferred to disability benefit with effect from 28 March 1983 and all disability benefit and pay-related benefit due to 26 April 1983, date of latest medical certificate received has been issued.
648.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
Following the completion of inquiries to establish that the person concerned was eligible for unemployment benefit payment was allowed at the maximum weekly rate payable to him £31.65 and all arrears due were paid on 27 April 1983
Further weekly payments are being made as they become due.