asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of persons being paid unemployment assistance at the rate of 99p per week or less; and the cost to his Department of making such payments.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
8.
Statistics are not maintained in such a way as would enable the information requested by the Deputy to be furnished.
Is the Minister aware that some unemployed persons are required to call to unemployment exchanges to collect sums as small as 50p per week and they refuse to do so because it costs more in bus fare? If he is so aware, would he take action to ensure that a minimum benefit is paid?
When unemployment benefit is means tested the figure can be low. To ask somebody to call for 50p or 90p seems ludicrous. I take the Deputy's point.
9.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the basis on which the sum of £19.20 arrears was calculated in the case of an application for unemployment assistance for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
The sum of £19.20, to which the Deputy refers, is the amount of weekly means assessed against the person concerned in determining his entitlement to unemployment assistance. These means were derived from the value of an educational grant.
He appealed against the amount of the means assessed against him but an appeals officer upheld the assessment. The person concerned was accordingly paid unemployment assistance at the weekly rate of £6.25, being the maximum rate payable to him, £25.45 less means £19.20 during the period of his claim from 5 July 1982—7 September 1982.
Is the Minister aware that it is alleged recipients of unemployment assistance in similar circumstances, or even better financial circumstances, were awarded the full payment? Is he also aware that the family circumstances in this instance are very poor — the father is on disability benefit and the mother has been confined to hospital for a considerable period? Would the Minister have this case reviewed?
As the Deputy is aware, there are guidelines which have to be followed. The value of the grant is considered to be £19.20 a week, almost £1,000 a year and that is taken as means. If the Deputy knows of other cases and brings them to my notice, I will have them examined.
I ask the Minister to have the social welfare officer establish if other recipients receive full unemployment assistance, even though they get the full education grant. There must be equality.
I do not have the facts before me, but if the Deputy supplies them I will have those cases investigated.
10.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason his Department insist on sending cheques to a person (details supplied) in County Cork bearing the wrong surname but the right PRSI number.
Owing to an error, the claim to disability benefit of the person concerned was opened and cheques were issued under an incorrect surname.
The error has since been corrected and replacement cheques issued to the claimant. Payment of disability benefit and pay-related benefit was made to 5 March 1983. She was certified by her own doctor as fit to resume work from 7 March 1983.
11.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Laois is not being paid unemployment or home assistance as he has no work or any form of income and as he applied for unemployment assistance 16 weeks ago; and the action he now proposes to take to arrange for immediate payment in this case.
The person concerned is not entitled to unemployment assistance as the means assessed against him, £38.00 weekly, exceed the maximum rate payable to him. Means in his case are derived from his share in land which is let.
He appealed against the assessment of means and his case was referred to an appeals officer for determination. Before making his decision the appeals officer requested that further inquiries be made as to possible expenses in connection with the letting of the land and when the inquiries are completed his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the appeals officer's decision.
The person concerned would not be eligible for supplementary welfare allowance, which is now payable instead of home assistance, as the means applicable to his unemployment assistance claim would also affect his entitlement to supplementary welfare allowance.
Could the Minister give the date on which the application for unemployment assistance was made?
The applicant claimed unemployment assistance on 12 October 1982.
Could the Minister give the reason for the delay in processing the claim and could he make some comment on the length of time it has taken to process this?
I have not the actual date here.
Would the Minister agree that it is totally unacceptable that somebody who applied for unemployment assistance on 12 October 1982 has not had his claim processed to date? If this were an isolated case one would accept it, but I am sure that it is not.
We are talking about land and land held in trust and there may be a problem connected with it. I will have the matter looked into, but there should not be any undue delay. However, there are problems because of the numbers on unemployment assistance and every one of these applications must be examined. However, it should not take as long as in this case.
12.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cork lost an appeal in respect of her claim for unemployment benefit on the grounds that she was unavailable for work even though strong evidence was submitted on behalf of her application both by employers and by Deputy Bernard Allen.
To qualify for unemployment benefit a claimant must fulfil the statutory condition for entitlement of being available for work. The claimant must be free to take up employment and must be making genuine efforts to obtain work.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit from 24 September 1982 to 27 October 1982 and again from 19 November 1982. In connection with her claim, she had stated "none" in reply to a question about the type of work she was seeking. The claim was disallowed on the ground that the claimant was not genuinely seeking employment and was not accordingly available for work.
She appealed against the disallowance of her claim and the appeals officer held an oral hearing of the case at which the claimant attended and gave evidence on her own behalf. The appeals officer had before him all the evidence furnished by the appellant, including the representations made by the Deputy, but he upheld the decision of the deciding officer and disallowed the claim.
Is the Minister aware of the long delays being experienced by people, especially in the Cork region, in relation to appeals? This is just one example of a litany of them. Does the Minister propose to do anything to improve the situation?
Regarding unemployment benefit, there should be no great delay in coming to a decision. I am reasonably happy with the unemployment benefit side but, as I have indicated, I am not satisfied that the unemployment assistance scheme works well.
13.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in Cork has not yet received payment despite the medical certificates he has submitted.
A claim for disability benefit was received from the person concerned on 18 February 1983 in respect of incapacity for work from 24 January 1983. He was not qualified for payment at the commencement of his claim as according to the records of the Department he had less than the required minimum of 26 contributions paid or credited in 1981-82, the contribution year governing his claim?
It has since been established that he was entitled to a total of 30 credited contributions in the 1981-82 contribution year and is therefore entitled to a reduced rate of disability benefit.
A cheque for the amount of benefit payable to 14 February 1983, date of the latest medical certificate received, was issued to the claimant on 11 May 1983.
14.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Carlow.
It has not been possible to trace receipt of a claim to unemployment assistance which refers to the person named in the details supplied.
Further inquiries will be made if the Deputy will furnish the name of the local office at which the claim was made, or additional information which would enable the person concerned to be identified.