asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment benefit was refused in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Offaly as she applied ten weeks ago and submitted letters to say that she was available for work.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
283.
Entitlement to unemployment benefit is subject to the condition that an applicant must be fully available for work and a person who limits her availability to reduced working periods cannot be regarded as being so available.
The person concerned when claiming unemployment benefit indicated that she was only available for evening work and her claim was disallowed on the grounds that she was not available for employment. She appealed against this disallowance and arrangements are being made to have her case determined by an appeals officer. Her entitlement to unemployment benefit will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.
284.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when arrangements will be made to have a person (details supplied) in County Laois examined before a medical referee as an appeal was lodged on 19 November 1983.
The person concerned was disallowed payment of disability benefit from 21 November 1983 following examination by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that he was capable of work.
He appealed against the disallowance and in connection with his appeal arrangements have been made to have him examined by a different medical referee on 23 January 1984. His entitlement to further payment of disability benefit will be reviewed in the light of the medical referee's report following this examination.
285.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason weekly payments of disability benefit on a regular basis are not being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Offaly as he has been on benefit since July 1983; and the reason he is not being paid at the maximum rate.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 5 July 1983 and has been paid at the maximum rate appropriate to a married couple with four dependent children to 17 January 1984, the date of the latest medical certificate received. There has been no undue delay in issuing payments in this case as payments have been made on receipt of medical certification in the Department.
The position regarding pay-related benefit is that regulations made under the Social Welfare Acts provide that pay-related benefit is restricted to the amount which when added to the flat-rate disability benefit limits the total amount of benefit payable to 80 per cent of the person's average reckonable weekly earnings in the relevant income tax year.
In the claimant's case 80 per cent of his average reckonable weekly earnings in the income tax year ended 5 April 1982 have been calculated as £90.99. Disability benefit is being paid at the weekly rate of £90.15. Therefore, the claimant qualifies for pay-related benefit at the weekly rate of £0.84, thereby bringing his total weekly payments up to the 80 per cent limit.
286.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will make arrangements to have a person (details supplied) in County Offaly examined before a medical referee as soon as possible as she was disqualified from benefit because of her failure to attend a medical examination on 21 December 1983 which was due to a family bereavement.
Arrangements have been made to have the person concerned examined by a medical referee of the Department on 8 February 1984. She will be informed of the time and place of the examination in due course.
287.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will change the policy of his Department whereby on notification of the disallowance of disability benefit to persons they inform them only of their entitlement to appeal and make no reference to their possible qualification for either unemployment benefit or social assistance, as this policy can cause people to be deprived of their entitlements because of their lack of a full knowledge of the system.
The forms in use for this purpose are at present being reviewed with a view to improving the information content and simplifying the text. Information relating to unemployment benefit/social assistance will be included on the notification referred to in the question and this will be done at an early date.
288.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned applied for unemployment assistance on 16 November 1983. Following inquiries into his means his application was disallowed on the grounds that his means of £36.00 weekly derived from the value of board and lodging on his father's farm exceeded the maximum rate of £28.00 unemployment assistance payable in his case.
289.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned claimed unemployment assistance and the case was referred to a social welfare officer for investigation. He would not co-operate with the officer in the investigation of his means and he has been advised that his entitlement to unemployment assistance cannot be determined until he does so.
His case has been referred again to a social welfare officer to afford him an opportunity to disclose full details of his means. His entitlement to unemployment assistance will be determined in the light of the outcome of the inquiries.
290.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 9 October 1982 and was paid to 11 October 1983. Payment ceased after that date as he had fewer than 156 contributions paid on his behalf since his entry into insurable employment and is therefore only entitled to benefit for 52 weeks. According to the records of the Department he has only 52 contributions paid since his entry into insurable employment on 7 April 1981. In order to requalify for payment of benefit he would require a further 13 weeks' employment for which the appropriate contributions have been paid.