asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment benefit or assistance has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
636.
The person concerned exhausted his entitlement to unemployment benefit on 21 April 1982 when he received 390 days benefit and in the absence of employment he has no requalifying contributions paid. He claimed unemployment assistance but his claim was disallowed on the grounds that the means assessed against him £33.65 weekly derived from the value of board and lodging in his parents house, exceeded the maximum rate of unemployment assistance payable to him. He appealed against the amount of means assessed against him but an appeals officer also assessed him with means at £33.65 weekly.
637.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an invalidity pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
An invalidity pension was awarded with effect from 8 March 1984. A pension book payable from that date was issued to the designated post office of payment on 29 February 1984.
638.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will investigate how an appeal made by a person (details supplied) in County Cork on the decision to withdraw her disability benefit from 22 February, 1984 was rejected by a medical referee who examined her on 13 April, 1984 as she has been refused unemployment benefit on the grounds that she is unfit for work; and if he will state how she can get either disability benefit or unemployment benefit as she has been refused both to date.
Payment of disability benefit to the person concerned was disallowed from 27 February 1984 following examination by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that she was capable of work. She appealed against the disallowance and was examined on 13 April 1984 by a different medical referee who also considered her to be capable of work. Her case has been referred to an appeals officer who proposes to hold an oral hearing of her claim. She will be notified of the time and place of the hearing as soon as the arrangements have been made.
According to the records at her local office she last claimed unemployment benefit on 31 May 1983 and her claim was disallowed on the grounds that she was not available for employment. She appealed against the decision and the appeals officer also decided that she was not available for employment. She ceased to sign the unemployed register on 21 September 1983. If she re-applies for unemployment benefit her case will be referred to a deciding officer and she will be advised of the decision in her case.
639.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason children's allowance was refused to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry even though the child is still going to school.
Children's allowance at the monthly rate of £73.75 in respect of six qualified children is being paid to the person concerned. His eldest son reaches age 16 on 18 May 1984 and his allowance will automatically reduce to £56.25 in respect of five qualified children from 1 June 1984. The allowance will further reduce to £45 in respect of four qualified children from 1 July 1984 as the certificate of full-time education furnished in respect of his eldest daughter only covers the period up to 30 June 1984.
An extension of children's allowance in respect of both these children may be claimed, if they are continuing in full-time education. Application forms for this purpose have been issued to the person concerned and when these are returned his entitlement will be reviewed.
640.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for a recipient in County Kilkenny to be transferred from disability benefit payment to invalidity pension as he attended before a medical referee on 22 February 1984 but has heard nothing to date.
The person concerned is being paid disability benefit at regular weekly intervals and payment has been made to date. A form on which to claim invalidity pension was forwarded to him on 2 May 1984 and on its return, duly completed, the claim will be dealt with without delay.
641.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an appeal against the decision on unemployment assistance will be heard for a person (details supplied) in County Cork as she was refused it on the grounds that she is unavailable for work even though she has indicated to the social welfare officer that she has applied for work with a number of firms in Cork city and that she is also registered with the National Manpower Service; and the reason she has been refused supplementary welfare allowance by the local welfare officer.
The entitlement of an applicant to unemployment assistance is subject to the condition that she must be available for, capable of and genuinely trying to find work.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed after extensive inquiries on the grounds that she was not available for work. She appealed against the disallowance of her claim and an oral hearing of her case has been arranged to take place on 9 May 1984. Her entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the appeals officer's decision in her case.
Entitlement to supplementary welfare allowance is a matter for determination by the health board and the person concerned was advised of her right to appeal against the disallowance in her case but did not do so.
642.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in having a decision made in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny who has applied for invalidity pension and received an acknowledgement from his Department on 7 November 1983 but heard nothing further to date.
The person concerned has been in receipt of disability benefit since 24 January 1981 and payment is being made at regular weekly intervals. His application for a transfer to invalidity pension in November 1983 was held pending the result of a medical referee examination to determine if he was permanently incapable of work. Due to an oversight the examination was not arranged at that time but one has now been fixed for 17 May 1984. His entitlement to invalidity pension will be reviewed in the light of the report of that examination.
643.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed on the grounds that his means derived from his land and from capital exceeded the statutory limit. He appealed against the amount of means assessed against him. His case was referred to a social welfare officer for additional inquiries arising from contentions made by him in support of his appeal. Inquiries are now complete and his case is being submitted to an appeals officer for determination. His case will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.
644.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kerry was disqualified for six weeks from payments of unemployment assistance as he has been genuinely seeking employment since he left AnCo
To satisfy the condition of being available for work an applicant for unemployment assistance must be capable of work and genuinely seeking work.
The person concerned claimed unemployment assistance on 12 March 1984 and his claim was disallowed for a period of six weeks from that date on the grounds that he was not genuinely seeking work. He appealed against this disallowance and arrangements are being made to have his case heard as early as possible. Inquiries are also being made with regard to his availability for work from 24 April 1984 following the expiration of the disallowance after which his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed.
645.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the long delay in granting a living alone allowance to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The person concerned claimed the living alone allowance on 10 February 1983 and her application was refused by the local pension committee on 28 May 1983 on the grounds that the conditions for payment of the allowance were not satisfied in her case. She was living as part of the same household with her son, his wife and family. If the circumstances have changed in the meantime it is open to her to re-apply for the allowance.
646.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason the correct rate of unemployment assistance has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork since 22 December 1983 as he was unemployed from that date.
According to the Department's records the person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 10 January 1984 after being on holidays. His claim was allowed at the maximum flat-rate unemployment benefit payable to him, £34.80, and weekly payments are being made to him as they become due. He is not entitled to pay-related benefit with his flat-rate unemployment benefit as he had insufficient earnings during the relevant income tax period 6 April 1982 to 5 April 1983.
647.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance at the maximum rate will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned was assessed with means at £55 weekly derived from self-employment and the benefit of his wife's income. He appealed against the amount of means assessed against him and an appeals officer also assessed him with means at £55 weekly in May 1983. He is at present in receipt of unemployment assistance at £0.55 weekly being the maximum weekly rate payable to him, £55.55 less £55. He was recently furnished with an application form to enable him to have his means reinvestigated. When he returns the form his case will be referred to a social welfare officer for an investigation after which the assessment of his means will be reviewed and the rate of unemployment assistance payable to him will be determined accordingly.
648.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned does not satisfy the contribution conditions for entitlement to unemployment benefit. He claimed unemployment assistance but did not make himself available for interview by a social welfare officer for the purpose of investigating his means. Accordingly his entitlement to unemployment assistance could not be determined. He has ceased to sign as unemployed and it is understood that he has resumed work.
649.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment benefit at the maximum rate is not being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned was in receipt of the maximum rate of flat-rate unemployment benefit at £74.85 weekly with pay-related benefit at £4.78 when he exhausted 156 days benefit on 16 February 1984. To continue to receive benefit at the maximum rate he would need to have had 280 contribution weeks of employment in the preceding seven years. He did not satisfy this condition and accordingly the weekly amount of flat-rate benefit payable to him was reduced to £65.15. His rate of pay-related benefit was, however, increased to £11.85 weekly with effect from 17 February 1984. Combined payments of flat-rate unemployment and pay-related benefit at £77 weekly continue to be made to him as they become due.
650.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an old age pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
It was decided by the local pension committee on 2 February 1984 that the person concerned is not entitled to an old age pension on the grounds that she failed to establish that she fulfils the statutory conditions as to means. Her nephew, who is acting as her agent, declined to give the necessary information regarding property disposed of.
An appeal against this decision was made on 28 February 1984 and the case was referred to an appeals officer who required further information before giving his decision. This information is being sought and when it is received the matter will be referred back to the appeals officer for his determination and the person concerned will be notified of the outcome in due course.
651.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an application for deserted wife's allowance will be sanctioned for a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned has been awarded deserted wife's benefit with effect from 8 September 1983 at the rate of £63.45 per week, the maximum rate payable to a woman with two qualified children.
An order book payable from 10 May 1984 has been sent to the designated post office and the claimant has been notified. A payable order in respect of arrears for the period from 8 September 1983 to 9 May 1984, less deductions for supplementary welfare allowance and unemployment assistance paid to her during that time, will be issued direct to her shortly.