asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit is not being granted to a person (details supplied) in County Carlow.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
424.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 16 August 1983 and has been paid all disability benefit due to 25 October 1983, date of the latest medical evidence received.
Payments for the periods 23 to 29 August 1983 and 6 to 26 September 1983 were initially withheld as he was in receipt of supplementary welfare allowance from the South-Eastern Health Board during that time and an amount of £200 was deducted from the benefit otherwise due and refunded to the health board.
425.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying arrears of invalidity pension to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned has been awarded an invalidity pension from 25 August 1983. The pension book payable from 13 October 1983 was issued to the designated post office of payment on 4 October 1983.
Arrears in respect of the period from 25 August 1983 to 12 October 1983, less the amount of disability benefit paid during that period, was paid by payable order on 28 October 1983.
426.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned claimed disability from 18 November 1982 and he has been paid from 22 November 1982, fourth day of incapacity. All disability benefit due to 25 October 1983, date of latest medical certificate received has been issued.
There was no delay in issuing payment in this case and the last four cheques issued on the following dates:— 6, 14, 19 and 27 October 1983. Cheques were issued as medical evidence of incapacity was received.
427.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in making a decision regarding a single woman's allowance for a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned claimed single woman's allowance on 15 February 1983 and her case was referred to a social welfare officer for investigation of her means. Extensive inquiries were necessary by the social welfare officer and when these were completed she was assessed with means in excess of the maximum rate of single woman's allowance, derived from capital and the benefit of a shop owned by her brother. Her claim was disallowed from 15 February 1983 to 29 June 1983.
However, following the increase in the rates of the single woman's allowance in accordance with the provision of the 1983 budget her claim was allowed from 30 June 1983 at £3.05 weekly on the basis of her means assessed between £29.00 and £31.00 weekly.
A single woman's allowance order book was posted to Fermoy Post Office on 20 July 1983 and she was advised to collect it at that address.
428.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when arrears of pay-related benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned is a postal applicant and arrangements have been made to issue him with an order for encashment at his local post office paying all arrears of pay-related benefit due, this week.
Further combined payments at £91.44 weekly representing flat-rate unemployment benefit £74.85 and pay-related benefit £16.59 will be paid as they become due.
429.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a long outstanding application for unemployment assistance will be finalised for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5 whose income only consists of assistance from the local health board.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned could not be determined until he furnished certain details of his means which were requested by the Social Welfare Officer investigating his case. Inquiries are at present being made and when these are completed his means will be assessed and his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be determined.
430.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to pay arrears of disability benefit which are due for March-April 1983 and June 1983 to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned has been paid all disability benefit due from 16 March 1983, date of commencement of incapacity of 24 October 1983, date of latest medical certificate received, less amount of supplementary welfare allowance advanced by the health board.
431.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will ensure that an English retirement pension is paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork who worked with the British Merchant Navy as a seaman from 1937 to 1 November, 1979 and who was compulsorily retired at 61 years of age.
Payment of a United Kingdom retirement pension is the responsibility of the Department of Health and Social Security, Overseas Group, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England. Representations received from the Deputy on behalf of the person concerned were sent to the United Kingdom authorities on 8 September 1983. A reminder has been sent to the United Kingdom authorities and they will undoubtedly communicate directly with the person concerned regarding his entitlement.
It is assumed that the person concerned has already submitted a claim for pension to the United Kingdom authorities. If, however, he has not done so he should write without further delay to the UK Department of Health and Social Security as that Department will as a matter of normal procedure wish to have a formal claim from the person concerned.
432.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in County Louth will be paid arrears of disability benefit which are outstanding for the past seven weeks.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 1 September 1983 and was paid from 5 September 1983, fourth day of incapacity, at the maximum appropriate rate. All disability benefit and pay-related benefit due to 26 October 1983, date of the latest medical evidence received, has been issued.
Payment for the period 22 September to 12 October 1983 was withheld as the North-Eastern Health Board had indicated that he was in receipt of supplementary welfare allowance at that time and it was necessary to confirm details of the amount of allowance paid before further payment could be issued. On receipt of this information payment of all benefit due for that period, less the amount of supplementary welfare allowance paid, was issued to the claimant.
433.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary during April 1983; and when this will be paid.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 1 April 1983 to 22 April 1983 and again from 29 August 1983 to 12 September 1983, date of the latest medical evidence received.
Payment of disability benefit however ceases when a person reaches the age of 66. According to the records of the Department, the claimant reached 66 years of age on 7 August 1982 and benefit could not therefore be paid. He was informed of the position on the occasion of both claims.
He is not entitled to payment of a contributory old-age pension as he does not satisfy the contribution conditions. An application for a non-contributory old-age pension has not been received from the claimant.
434.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a contributory pension has been reduced by £19.60 in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
The person concerned is in receipt of a contributory old age pension at the maximum rate, including an allowance in respect of his wife. The amount of £19.60 to which the Deputy refers was an allowance in respect of two qualified children which ceased to be payable when they reached 18 years of age. The allowance is payable in respect of children aged 18 or over who are still receiving full-time education only in a case where the pensioner is a widow.
435.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a children's allowance has been terminated in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
Payment of children's allowance was discontinued in this case from 1 November, 1983 as the children concerned have reached 18 years and are no longer qualified for children's allowance.
436.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 6 September 1983 and was paid from 9 September 1983, fourth day of incapacity, to 15 September 1983, date of the latest medical evidence received. If he was ill and incapable of work after that date he should furnish continuing medical evidence from 16 September 1983 onwards and on receipt of this information further payment will be issued.
437.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when social welfare 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.
438.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment benefit is not being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
The unemployment benefit claim of the person concerned was disallowed from 1 June 1983 to 2 August 1983 on the grounds that she did not fulfil the condition of being available for work during this period. She appealed against the disallowance and attended an oral hearing of her case on 11 October 1983. The appeals officer upheld the disallowance of her claim.
She claimed unemployment benefit again on 27 October 1983 and inquiries are being made to ascertain whether she now fulfils the conditions for entitlement to unemployment benefit. When inquiries are completed her claim will be determined and she will be notified accordingly.
439.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a widow's pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
The person concerned whose husband died on 18 August 1983 has been awarded a widow's contributory pension at the weekly rate of £40.60 with effect from 30 September 1983. This is the maximum rate of pension payable to a widow under 66 years with no qualified children.
Her husband had been in receipt of disability benefit of £95.47 per week which included an increase in respect of his wife and she was paid this benefit for six weeks after his death, in place of widow's pension.
A widow's pension book with orders payable from 21 October 1983 has been sent to the designated post office for collection by her and she has been notified accordingly. The arrears of pension for the period from 30 September 1983 to 20 October 1983, less an adjustment for disability benefit which was overpaid to her during that time on a claim which she made in her own right, will be paid direct to her shortly by payable order.
In view of the fact that the claimant's husband also had a United Kingdom insurance number the relevant papers have been forwarded to the Department of Health and Social Security, Newcastle upon Tyne, in order to have her title to a British pension considered. That Department will notify her of the outcome.
440.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an invalidity pension will be granted for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
The person concerned has been awarded an invalidity pension with effect from 20 October 1983. The pension book has been issued to the designated post office and he has been informed accordingly.
441.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a decision will be made regarding unemployment assistance for a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned was originally assessed with means at £25.00 weekly derived from land. He appealed against the amount of means assessed against him and an appeals officer reduced this assessment to £12.00 weekly. All arrears of unemployment assistance due to him by reason of the reduction of the assessment of his means were paid to him on 14 July 1983. He continues to receive weekly payment of unemployment assistance at £46.30 being the maximum rate payable to him £58.30 less means £12.00.
442.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is aware of the problem experienced by a number of part-time employees of a firm (details supplied) in Dublin relating to benefits and PRSI payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The insurability position under the Social Welfare Acts of the employment of a number of part-time employees of the firm mentioned is at present being examined by the Department.
Prior to 6 April 1979, part-time employees such as those to whom the Deputy's question refers, who were employed for the purposes of an employer's trade or business, were insurable for all benefits under the Social Welfare Acts, irrespective of the duration of the employment or of the amount of the remuneration.
As from 6 April 1979, the date of the introduction of the PRSI contribution scheme, employees who
(i) work for 18 hours a week or more, or
(ii) work for less than 18 hours but are mainly dependent for their livelihood on the earnings from the employment
are insurable for all benefits (Class A rate). An employee who works for less than 18 hours a week and who is not so dependent is insurable for occupational injury benefit only (Class J rate).
The current examination by the Department has found that Class A rates of contributions were being paid in error in respect of a number of part-time employees who worked for less than 18 hours a week and who were not mainly dependent for their livelihoods on the earnings from this employment. The correct contribution rate in these cases is Class J and arrangements are in progress to have the necessary adjustments made on the records and the appropriate refunds made to the employer and the employees concerned. If the employer or employee disagrees with the decision in any specific case he/she may appeal against it.
There are no circumstance in which contributions incorrectly paid at Class A rate of contribution may remain to an employee's credit and be reckoned for payment of benefits.
Any employee who has previously been compulsorily insured for benefits which include contributory old age, retirement and widow's pensions and deserted wife's benefit, may, subject to prescribed conditions, preserve their rights to these pensions and benefit by payment of contributions on a voluntary basis.