asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a free electricity allowance will be sanctioned for a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
603.
According to the Department's records an application for a free electricity allowance from the person concerned was disallowed in January 1981 as the "living alone" condition was not satisfied in his case.
If he considers that he now satisfies the conditions for receipt of the allowance, it is open to him to complete the application form which was issued to him on 7 June 1983.
On receipt of the completed application in the Department, the matter will be considered further and he will be notified of the outcome.
604.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if pay-related benefit paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford was correct; and, if so, if the full amount was paid.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 29 January 1983 and has been paid at the maximum rate appropriate to a single person (£31.65 per week) to 30 May 1983, the date of the latest medical certificate received.
In addition he was in receipt of pay-related benefit at the weekly rate of £35.55 from 11 February 1983, thirteenth day of incapacity, to 2 April 1983.
Arising from the provisions of the Social Welfare Act, 1983 the amount of pay-related benefit was reduced to £22.22 from 4 April 1983 (i.e. from 40 per cent to 25 per cent of reckonable earnings) and his overall payment is now £53.87. This particular provision applied to all claims in payment at that date. A list of the total payments made will be sent to the Deputy as requested by him.
605.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a single woman's allowance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny.
The person concerned claimed single woman's allowance on 26 April 1983 and her case was referred to a social welfare officer for investigation of her means. Inquiries are still being made in her case and when they are completed her means will be assessed and her entitlement to single woman's allowance will be determined accordingly.
606.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The person concerned has been paid disability benefit from 9 April 1983, the fourth day of incapacity, to 28 May 1983, the date of the latest medical evidence received.
A delay in issuing payment arose initially as the RSI number quoted by the claimant was not legible on the first medical certificate received.
607.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Carlow.
The application of the person concerned for unemployment assistance on 15 February 1983 has been allowed at £11.95 a week. This is the appropriate maximum weekly rate in his case of £57.95 less means £46.00 derived from his wife's earnings. All arrears due will be issued to him this week and further weekly payments of £11.95 will continue to be made as they become due.
608.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Carlow has received only £6 pay-related benefit.
The person concerned is qualified for pay-related benefit at the weekly rate of £4.57 weekly payable from the eighteenth day of his unemployment 16 May 1983. The rate of pay-related benefit is calculated on the basis of his reckonable weekly earnings during the period 6 April 1981 to 5 April 1982 when according to the Department's records his earnings amounted to £2,714.00.
Combined payments of £64.22 representing flat-rate unemployment benefit £59.65 and pay-related benefit £4.57 continue to be made to him as they become due.
609.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment assistance has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Carlow as she has been signing for over five weeks.
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 in the matter will be made if the Deputy will furnish additional information to enable the person concerned to be identified.
610.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a deserted wife's allowance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Carlow.
A payable order for arrears of allowance for the periods from 5 August 1982 to 15 September 1982 and from 24 February 1983 to 9 March 1983, less deductions in respect of supplementary welfare allowance paid during those times will be issued to the person concerned in the next few days.
611.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when arrears of an unmarried mother's allowance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
A payable order for arrears of allowance due less the amount of supplementary welfare allowance refunded to the health board and less an amount of allowance overpaid after entitlement ceased will shortly be issued to the person concerned.
612.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will as a matter of urgency pay unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The person concerned applied for unemployment assistance on 18 January 1983. However, as his weekly means of £30.20 derived from self-employment as a farm labourer exceeded the appropriate maximum weekly rate of £25.45 unemployment assistance payable in his case, his application was disallowed. He has appealed against the amount of means assessed against him and his case is being referred to an appeals officer for determination.
His entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the appeals officer's decision.
613.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when pay-related benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The person concerned was paid disability benefit from 14 March 1983 to 12 May 1983. Payment was disallowed from 13 May 1983 following examination by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that he was capable of work.
He was not entitled to pay-related benefit as the weekly flat-rate disability benefit payable in his case exceeded his average reckonable weekly earnings in 1981-82, the income tax year relevant to his claim.
614.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a non-contributory old age pension has not yet been paid to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 12 who was 66 years old on 26 April 1983; and if he will ensure that it is now paid.
The old age pension claim of the person concerned has been investigated and referred to the local pension committee for decision. Pension at the rate of £30.45 a week from 26 April 1983 has been recommended by the social welfare officer. The assessment of the claimant's means, consisting of half the weekly value of her husband's occupational pension, entitles her to a pension at this rate.
The appropriate pension book has been issued on a provisional basis pending the pension committee's decision.
615.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if it is possible for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 6 who is an Irish citizen to claim social welfare on the continent while looking for employment there.
Unemployment benefit is not normally payable while an applicant is absent from the State. There are, however, provisions under EEC Regulations whereby an unemployed person who removes from one member state to another member state to look for employment may receive unemployment benefit for a period up to three months while he continues to look for work.
Accordingly if the person concerned intends to seek work in an EEC member state he should notify the local office at which he is presently signing of the full details of his departure, to enable arrangements to transfer payment to be made. He should also register as unemployed in the member state to which he removed, within seven days of the date on which he last proved unemployment in this country.
616.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason benefit was discontinued to a person (details supplied) in County Dublin.
To be entitled to unemployment benefit an applicant must be available for full-time employment.
The person concerned advised the local office dealing with her unemployment benefit that she was only seeking part-time work and following an investigation of her case her claim was disallowed from 11 May 1983 on the grounds that she was no longer available for work.
If she is dissatisfied with the decision in her case it is open to her to appeal and to have her case determined by an appeals officer. A form for this purpose may be obtained at her local office.
617.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will expedite approval of an old age non-contributory pension for a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
Investigation of the claim to pension of the person concerned will be completed shortly. Her claim will then be referred to the local pension committee for decision and she will be notified of the outcome.
618.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will restore unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
The means of the person concerned were factually assessed at £28.80 derived from land following an investigation of his case by a social welfare officer during which it was ascertained that he had obtained additional land but did not report the change in his circumstances. Consequently he was overpaid unemployment assistance amounting to £288.75 but this sum has been recovered from current payment of unemployment assistance due to him. Weekly payments at £29.15 being the maximum rate payable to him £57.95 less £28.80 have been resumed. If he is dissatisfied with the assessment of his means at £28.80 weekly it is open to him to appeal and to have his case determined by an appeals officer. A form for this purpose may be obtained at his local office.
619.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will expedite a decision on a claim for a widow's contributory pension from a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
The claim of the person concerned for a widow's contributory pension has been refused as her late husband did not have sufficient insurance contributions to qualify her for such pension. She has been notified accordingly.
Her entitlement to a widow's non-contributory pension is being investigated by the local social welfare officer. On completion of inquiries a decision on the claim will be given without delay.
620.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a widow's pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford in respect of a period of ten years during which time she received a pension from Great Britain at a reduced rate even though her means were nil.
The person concerned has been in receipt of a contributory widow's pension at a reduced rate since the death of her husband on 4 March 1973 based on a combination of his Irish and United Kingdom insurance records. She has also been in receipt of a pension on a similar basis from the United Kingdom.
A claim form for non-contributory pension was issued to the person concerned in August 1973 to be completed by her if she wished to claim a non-contributory pension. The claim form was not however returned by her.
In view of the Deputy's question a further claim form for non-contributory pension has again been sent to her. On the return of this form her entitlement to a non-contributory pension will be examined. If her means assessment entitles her to a non-contributory pension at a rate higher than the contributory one which she is at present receiving, the higher rate pension will be paid.
621.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when outstanding pay-related benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
It has not been possible from the information supplied to trace a benefit claim for the person concerned. If the RSI number or the social insurance number of the claimant can be quoted this will enable the claim to be identified and the information sought by the Deputy to be supplied.
622.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will pay a refund of PRSI to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford who has been overcharged for two years.
An application for a refund of pay-related social insurance contributions was made recently by the employer of the person concerned on the grounds that an incorrect rate of contribution had been paid in respect of her employment. In order to determine the correct rate of contribution payable my Department will be in touch with her at an early date and if a refund is due it will be paid without delay.
623.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will increase an old age pension for a person (details supplied) in County Wexford whose pension was recently reduced by £2 per week without reason or explanation.
Following a routine re-investigation of the means of the person concerned to take account of an increase in her spouse's occupational pension it was recently decided by the local pension committee that she is entitled to a pension at the rate of £26.45 per week from 28 January 1983. Pension at this rate was in payment pending the committee's decision on a question for a reduction in her pension from £28.45 a week.
The pensioner has appealed against the committee's decision and the case is being referred to an appeals officer for determination. She will be notified of the outcome.
624.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will expedite a transfer from disability benefit to invalidity pension for a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned is being paid disability benefit at regular weekly intervals and payment has been made to 18 June 1983. A form on which to claim invalidity pension has been forwarded to him and on its return, duly completed, the claim will be dealt with without delay.
625.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned who is a self-employed plasterer does not satisfy the contribution conditions for entitlement to unemployment benefit. He applied for a qualification certificate to enable him to claim unemployment assistance but as he refused to make available details of his bank accounts his application was disallowed. The disallowance was upheld by an appeals officer.
He re-applied for a qualification certificate and his case has been referred to a social welfare officer for investigation. It is expected that the inquiries will shortly be completed after which his application for a qualification certificate will be reviewed and his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be determined accordingly.