asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will forward an application form for invalidity pension to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; and if this person is entitled to any injury benefit other than disability benefit.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Payments.
619.
The person concerned is being paid disability benefit at regular weekly intervals and payment has been made to 21 May 1983.
Invalidity pension is payable in place of disability benefit to insured persons who satisfy the contribution conditions and who are permanently incapable of work. The person concerned is being considered for the award of an invalidity pension and, in this connection, arrangements are being made to have him examined by a medical referee on 24 May 1983. His entitlement to the pension will be reviewed in the light of the report of that examination. Should the medical referee be of the opinion that the person concerned is permanently incapable a form on which to claim the pension will then be forwarded to him.
The person concerned claimed disablement benefit under the occupational injuries benefit scheme on 14 September 1982 in respect of a hand condition which he attributed to the nature of his employment. Further investigations by an outdoor officer of the Department are necessary before a decision can be made on the claim.
Claims for injury benefit in respect of injuries resulting from an accident in 1971 were also made in 1975 and 1982. Under the scheme however injury benefit is limited to a maximum period of 26 weeks from the date of the accident. Injury benefit accordingly was not payable in respect of the claims.
620.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when the rate of unemployment assistance will be increased for a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The person concerned has appealed against the amount of means assessed against him and his case has been referred to an appeals officer for determination.
The rate of unemployment assistance payable to him will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.
In the meantime payment of unemployment assistance is continuing at £8.00 weekly being the maximum rate payable to him £50.50 less means £42.50 derived from the benefit of his wife's earnings.
621.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if an invalidity pension application form will be forwarded to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
A form on which to claim invalidity pension has been forwarded to the person concerned. On its return, duly completed, his claim will be reviewed with a view to transferring him to invalidity pension.
622.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in County Wexford will be transferred from an old age pension to a widow's pension.
The person concerned has been awarded a widow's non-contributory pension with effect from 31 December 1982 at the rate of £37.15 per week. This is the maximum rate of pension payable to her as a widow over 66 years of age with no qualified children and it includes a living alone allowance of £2.70 per week.
In view of this award she has been requested to return the old age pension book for £12.45 per week which she holds at present. As soon as she does so a widow's pension book will be issued to the designated post office for her, with orders payable from a current date. The arrears of pension which will have accrued from 31 December 1982 up to the date from which the book is payable will be paid direct to her, less the amount of her own old age pension paid during the period in question and the six weeks payment of her late husband's old age pension of £12.45 per week which was made to her after his death.
Claimant's possible entitlement to a widow's contributory pension is at present being investigated. She will be notified of the outcome when inquiries have been completed.
623.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a living alone allowance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry.
An application for living alone allowance has not been received from the old age pensioner concerned but a form to enable her to claim has been issued. When the completed application form has been returned to the Department her entitlement to the allowance will be determined.
624.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in Dublin.
The person concerned was disallowed payment of disability benefit from 28 February 1983 following examination by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that he was capable of work. He was examined on 8 April 1983 by a different medical referee who also considered him to be capable of work.
An appeal form has been issued to the claimant and he has been advised to return the form setting out the grounds for his appeal if he wishes his case to be referred to an appeals officer for determination.
625.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kerry has not been paid pay-related benefit.
The person concerned has been in receipt of unemployment benefit at the weekly rate of £52.15 since 10 February 1983. Following the recent completion of inquiries pay-related benefit has been authorised at the weekly rate of £25.70. All arrears due were paid to him last week.
Further combined weekly payments of £77.85, including £25.70 pay-related benefit, will continue to be made as they become due.
626.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason his Department have disallowed two weeks disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 31 January 1983 and was paid to 5 April 1983. Payment was disallowed for a period of six weeks from 6 April 1983 to 17 May 1983 following the claimant's failure to attend for examination on 31 March 1983 by a medical referee of my Department. In the meantime he submitted a final certificate which certified him as fit to resume work on 14 April 1983. He was informed on 12 April 1983 of the decision to disallow payment for six weeks from 6 April 1983. He did not reply to this communication and at no stage did he submit an explanation for his failure to attend the examination.
627.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit has been discontinued in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5 as she is still attending hospital and is unfit for work.
The person concerned was paid disability benefit for 52 weeks from 8 March 1982 to 7 March 1983.
Under the provisions of the Social Welfare Acts a person must have contributions paid in respect of at least 156 weeks of insurable employment since entry into insurance in order to qualify for payment of disability benefit for a period exceeding 52 weeks. According to the records of the Department she had only 69 contributions paid since her entry into insurable employment.
To requalify for payment of benefit again she would need at least a further 13 weeks of insurable employment for which contributions at the appropriate rate have been paid.
628.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary who applied approximately seven weeks ago; and the reason for the delay.
The person concerned applied for unemployment assistance on 14 March 1983 and his case was referred to a social welfare officer for a report on his means. The inquiries to determine the extent of his self-employment for the purpose of assessing his means were prolonged and this gave rise to the delay. The inquiries have now been completed and a decision on his entitlement will be given shortly.
629.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a children's allowance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny.
The person concerned submitted an application for a continuation of children's allowance on 18 February 1983 in respect of her son who reached 16 years of age on 14 March 1983.
Children's allowance at the rate of £17.50 per month was awarded in respect of this child with effect from 1 April 1983 and an allowance book payable from that date was issued to the claimant on 23 March 1983. This supplementary book increased the claimant's monthly allowance to £73.75 which is the correct rate payable in respect of her six qualified children.
In view of the Deputy's question the person concerned is being contacted with a view to ascertaining whether the supplementary allowance book was received. When a reply is received any necessary action will be taken without delay.
630.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kerry did not qualify for a free electricity allowance and for a free television licence.
The application for a free electricity allowance from the person concerned was received in the Department on 13 April 1983 and was approved on 20 April 1983.
The ESB have advised that the allowance has been applied to the account of the person concerned from the May-June 1983 billing period onwards.
The person concerned also qualifies for a free television licence which may be obtained on application at his local post office.
631.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will expedite the payment of pay-related benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
Following the recent receipt of evidence of the earnings of the person concerned in the relevant income tax year, pay-related benefit was authorised in his case and all arrears due were issued to him on Thursday 12 May 1983. Combined weekly payments of £36.92, including £5.27 pay-related benefit, will continue as they become due.
632.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to pay a widow's pension from 18 October 1982 to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
Arrears of widow's contributory pension for the period from 28 November 1982 to 31 March 1983 were issued to the person concerned on 27 April 1983 by means of a payable order.
The original award of pension in this case was from 28 November 1982 but following the recent receipt of information concerning her initial claim to pension from the Department of Health and Social Security, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, her pension has now been awarded from an earlier date viz. 23 April 1982, the Friday following the death of her husband. The arrears of pension for the period 23 April 1982 to 27 November 1982 will be sent to the widow by payable order within the next few days.
Details of her late husband's Irish insurance record have been sent to the British authorities who are investigating her possible entitlement to a widow's pension from there under EEC regulations.
633.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Louth; and when benefit will be paid.
The person concerned has been paid all disability benefit due from 5 April 1983, fourth day of incapacity, to 2 May 1983, date of the latest medical certificate received.
The delay in issuing payment was due to the fact that the claimant quoted an incorrect RSI number on his medical certificates.
634.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The application of the person concerned for unemployment assistance on 8 September 1982 was disallowed on the grounds that his means derived from the letting of land and self-employment as a woodcutter exceed the statutory limit of £2,350.40 in his case. He appealed against the disallowance but the appeals officer upheld the deciding officer's decision. He re-applied for unemployment assistance on 22 April 1983 and his case has been referred to a social welfare officer for a report on his means. When the inquiries are completed his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the social welfare officer's report.
635.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will pay full unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
In order to qualify for unemployment assistance at the maximum rate a person must be assessed with nil means. The person concerned is at present receiving unemployment assistance at the weekly rate of £14.45 being the maximum rate in his case £43.95 less weekly means of £29.50, derived from his wife's earnings. He has applied for a re-assessment of his means and his case has been referred to a social welfare officer for investigation. His entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the social welfare officer's report.
636.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The person concerned applied for unemployment assistance on 14 December 1982 but her application was disallowed on the grounds that she had failed to show that her means did not exceed the statutory limit in her case of £2,350.40. She appealed against the disallowance and her case was sent to a social welfare officer for further inquiries before being referred to an appeals officer for determination. The social welfare officer made numerous calls to the applicant's address but has not so far been able to contact her. As soon as the inquiries have been completed the papers will be referred to an appeals officer and entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of his decision.
637.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The means of the person concerned derived from farming were assessed at £30.75 a week. As this exceeds the maximum single rate of unemployment assistance payable in his case, £25.45, he is not qualified to receive payment. He has appealed against the amount of means assessed and his case has been referred back to the social welfare officer for review before being sent to an appeals officer for determination. His entitlement will be considered in the light of the appeals officer's decision.