asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a non-contributory pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
259.
The old age pension claim of the person concerned has been investigated and referred to the local pension committee for decision.
Payment of pension has not been recommended as the assessment of her means, consisting of the weekly value of capital, exceeds the statutory limit of £42.
The person concerned may however, qualify for a non-contributory widow's pension. Her entitlement under this scheme is being investigated and she will be notified of the outcome.
260.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if the payment of disability benefit will be expedited in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Cork as he has to repay a loan and is badly in need of benefit.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 4 October 1983 and was paid from 7 October 1983, fourth day of incapacity, at the maximum appropriate rate. All disability benefit due to 18 October 1983, date of the latest medical evidence received has been issued.
261.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying arrears of a deserted wife's allowance to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
A payable order for £490.30 being the arrears of deserted wife's benefit for the period from 20 January 1983 to 20 July 1983, less the amount of supplementary welfare allowance paid to her by the Southern Health Board during that time, was sent to the person concerned on 12 October 1983. Before these arrears could be paid to her it was necessary to establish the exact amount of supplementary welfare allowance which she had received from the board.
262.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cork has not been paid occupational injury benefit for the past six weeks.
All disability benefit and pay-related benefit due to 17 October 1983, date of the latest medical certificate received has been issued. The delay in issuing benefit from 6 September 1983 was due to an administrative error.
As the claimant was paid supplementary welfare allowance on various dates between 31 January 1983 and 15 October 1983, arrangements are being made for recoupment from current and future payments.
263.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in taking a decision on the insurability of a person (details supplied) in County Cork as he has been out of work for some time and badly needs unemployment benefit.
A deciding officer decided on 19 October 1982 that the employment of the person concerned from June 1981 to February 1982 was insurable under the Social Welfare Acts at the Class A contribution rate and both the person concerned and his employer were notified of the decision on 29 October 1982.
Notice of appeal against the deciding officer's decision was received from the employer on 16 November 1982 but owing to an administrative error the case was not sent to the appeals officer. Following the discovery of the error an oral hearing of the appeal was recently arranged to take place on 8 November 1983 in the employment exchange in Cork and the person concerned and the employer were notified of this on 21 October 1983.
The person concerned was paid unemployment assistance at the rate of £63.75 a week, which is the maximum rate payable in his case, for the period from 10 April 1982 to 12 March 1983, the latest date on which he registered as unemployed.
His entitlement to unemployment benefit will be reviewed in the light of the appeals officer's decision on the insurability of his employment. If it is found that he is entitled to this benefit an adjusting payment representing the difference between the amount of unemployment benefit payable for the period involved and the unemployment assistance already paid to him will be issued.
264.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit is not being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork as it was stated that she had insufficient contributions but has forwarded P60 forms to his Department to prove that she had.
The person concerned has been paid all disability benefit due from 22 July 1983, fourth day of incapacity, to 19 October 1983, after which date she was certified fit to resume work. Her entitlement to pay-related benefit will be examined when details of her earnings, which have been requested, are received.
Payment was not made initially on her claim as inquiries were necessary to establish if 26 contributions were paid on her behalf since her entry into insurable employment on 6 May 1982.
265.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will investigate the disability benefit being paid at present to a person (details supplied) in County Cork as he claims £24 has been deducted from one of his cheques.
The person concerned has been paid all disability benefit and pay-related benefit due to 17 October 1983, date of the latest medical evidence received.
The person concerned has normally been paid on a weekly basis, the amount of each cheque being £72.86. However, a cheque for £48.60 which was issued to him on 28 September 1983 was for four days only: 22-26 September, the date of the latest medical certificate then to hand. His next cheque was issued on 7 October 1983 and the amount £72.86, was in respect of the week from 27 September to 3 October. There has, therefore, been no loss of benefit or deduction from any payment made. The period of payment is included on each cheque for the claimant's information.
266.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment assistance is not being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry.
Following an investigation of his case the means of the person concerned were reassessed at varying amounts during the period 1 June 1981 to 31 August 1982 resulting in an overpayment of unemployment assistance amounting to £805.52. The means reassessed against him were derived from land which he had not previously disclosed and from self-employment and capital.
Weekly payment of unemployment assistance which was payable to him at £26.45 weekly, being the maximum rate £42.00 less means £15.55 was held against the amount which he was overpaid from 7 June 1983. However, his case has been referred to a social welfare officer for a report on his present circumstances. When inquiries are completed consideration will be given to a resumption of payments less an amount to be deducted each week against the balance of the overpayment still outstanding.
267.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment assistance is not being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry even though he is a married man with one child.
The entitlement of the person concerned to unemployment assistance could not be determined until the investigations of his means were completed. Following the recent completion of the inquiries he was assessed with means of £19.20 weekly derived from self-employment and earnings from accommodation business.
All arrears of unemployment due to him were paid on 20 October 1983 and further weekly payments at £39.10 weekly being the maximum weekly rate payable to him £58.30 less means £19.20 will continue to be made as they become due.
268.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason an old age non-contributory pension has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry even though the social welfare officer called to him last August.
A repeat claim for old age pension from the person concerned has been investigated by the social welfare officer and referred to the local pension committee for decision.
Payment of pension has not been recommended as his means, consisting of the weekly letting value of a holding and capital, exceed the statutory limit for pension entitlement.
269.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the non-payment of disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in Cork.
The person concerned was paid disability benefit from 9 November 1981 to 6 November 1982. Payment ceased after that date as she had less than the required minimum, 156 paid contributions to her credit since her entry into insurance, to entitle her to further payment.
According to the records of the Department she had only 85 contributions paid since her entry into insurable employment on 8 May 1970.
In order to requalify for disability benefit it will be necessary for her to resume insurable employment for which the appropriate contributions are paid for a minimum period of thirteen weeks.
270.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to expedite the payment of unemployment assistance or benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 9 March 1983 but is not qualified for payment as he has not the required minimum of 26 contributions paid or credited in 1981-82, the contribution year governing his claim.
Inquiries are being made, however, by my Department to ascertain his record of insurable employment in 1981-82. When these inquiries are completed his entitlement to disability benefit will be reviewed.
271.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the position regarding a small holder's allowance appeal lodged by a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned obtained an application form to appeal against the amount of means assessed against him for purposes of his entitlement to unemployment assistance and he subsequently lodged it at his local office on 13 October 1983.
Arrangements are being made to have his case determined by an appeals officer after which his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.
272.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a deserted wife's allowance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
The claim of the person concerned for deserted wife's allowance has been allowed. The precise date of the desertion has not, however, been established and a local officer of the Department will call on her in the course of the next few days in order to obtain further information on this. In the meantime payment of allowance at the maximum rate is being made from a current date.
273.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
It has not been possible to trace a benefit claim for the person concerned. If the RSI 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.
274.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the action he proposes to take in regard to a PRSI cheque which is due to a person (details supplied) in County Dublin.
The person concerned returned a cheque dated 13 July 1977 on 19 August 1980 seeking to have the cheque redated. A replacement cheque for £78.69 was issued on 26 October 1983. The delay in issuing the replacement cheque was due to an administrative error.
275.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will expedite the payment of unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
Entitlement to unemployment assistance is subject to the condition that the applicant is the holder of a qualification certificate. The person concerned previously held a qualification certificate but it was revoked in 1975 on the grounds that by failing to disclose his means he failed to show that his means did not exceed the statutory limit.
He has not signed as unemployed at his local office for some years nor has he applied to have his means investigated for the purpose of restoring his qualification certificate. He has however been advised that to enable his entitlement to unemployment assistance to be determined he should complete an application form and that he should register as unemployed by signing at his local office. If and when he does so his case will be referred to a social welfare officer for investigation after which his means will be assessed and his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be determined accordingly.
276.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if disability benefit is payable to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo as she received a letter on 5 October referring to inquiries being made with Newcastle concerning the number of contributions paid under her English number.
The person concerned was paid disability benefit for the period 5 October 1981 to 6 October 1982, a total of 52 weeks. She was not entitled to further payment of this benefit as she had less than the required minimum of 156 paid contributions to her credit since she entered insurable employment in this country on 10 July 1978. According to the records of the Department only 140 contributions have been paid on her behalf. She claimed unemployment benefit from 7 October 1982 to 4 May 1983 and she submitted a further claim to disability benefit from 5 May 1983. As she had already exhausted her title to this benefit in October 1982 no further payments could be made. She has indicated that she was employed in Great Britain prior to 1978 and her insurance record has been requested from the British authorities. No reply has been received to date but a further reminder has been issued. On receipt of these details her claim will be reviewed.
277.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an old age pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
It was decided by the local pension committee on 29 June 1983 that the person concerned is not entitled to an old age pension on the grounds that her means were not fully disclosed. She appealed against this decision and further inquiries were undertaken in her case. These inquiries have now been completed and the appeal has been submitted to an appeals officer for determination. She will be notified of the outcome.
278.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when social welfare benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
In accordance with the provision of EEC Regulations the British contribution record of the person concerned was invoked to qualify him for unemployment benefit with effect from 12 May 1983. His claim was allowed at the maximum weekly rate of £31.65 increasing to £34.80 from 30 June 1983 and as he is a postal applicant arrangements have been made to issue him with an order for encashment at his local post office this week paying all arrears of unemployment benefit due less advances of unemployment assistance which he had been in receipt of. Further weekly payments will be made as they become due.
279.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit has been refused in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary as he is in very poor health; and if he will reconsider his decision.
The person concerned was disallowed payment of disability benefit from 22 August 1983 following examination by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that he was capable of work. He was examined on 20 October 1983 by a different medical referee who considered him to be incapable of work. All disability benefit due from 22 August 1983 to date was issued on 25 October 1983 less refund to the South Eastern Health Board in respect of supplementary welfare allowance advanced to the claimant.