asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will restore entitlement to unemployment benefit as a matter of urgency to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 12 as she has been seeking work and is available for work, and cannot meet her ESB or rent bill because she has been refused benefit.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
372.
The person concerned was in receipt of disability benefit from 5 July 1982 to 29 February 1984 when a medical referee found her to be capable of work and her disability benefit claim was disallowed. She claimed unemployment benefit from 6 March 1984 but her claim was disallowed on the ground that she was not genuinely seeking work. She has appealed against the disallowance of her unemployment benefit claim and her entitlement to unemployment benefit will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.
373.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 8 who through personal problems (Details supplied) is now denied his pay-related welfare benefits; if he will examine the case urgently; and if he will make a statement as to the position in relation to him.
377.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if special steps will be taken to entitle a person (details supplied) in Dublin 8 to pay-related benefit in view of the fact that he has three children and, for family unity reasons, had to go to the UK for some months in order to keep his family together and therefore was unable to sign on at the employment exchange which would have given him such entitlement.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 373 and 377 together.
The entitlement of an applicant to pay-related benefit with flat-rate unemployment benefit is subject to the condition that the sum of weekly flat-rate unemployment benefit, pay-related benefit and income tax refunds may not exceed 85 per cent of the average net weekly earnings of the claimant. The method of calculating the 85 per cent is prescribed by regulations and in the case of the person concerned the period over which the calculation is made is from 6 April 1983 to 27 February 1984 on which date he claimed unemployment benefit.
The 85 per cent limit in his case is £60.61 and as he is in receipt of flat-rate unemployment benefit of £82.50 weekly pay-related benefit is not payable. The question of revising the regulations to take account of absences such as those mentioned by the Deputies in their questions is being examined.
374.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit is not being paid to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 12 as she works 12 hours per week and seven hours every third Sunday; and the steps that will be taken to allow her to qualify as she has been in employment for 14 years.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 28 February to 5 March 1984 after which date she was certified fit to resume work. Payment of benefit was not however authorised as according to the records of the Department she had less than the required minimum of 26 reckonable contributions registered in 1982-83 the contribution year governing her claim. She was advised of the position on 15 March 1984.
From 6 April 1979 when the pay-related social insurance scheme was introduced an employee who works for less than 18 hours a week and is not mainly dependent for their livelihood on the earnings from the employment is insurable for occupational injury benefit only (Class J), The claimant had been paying an RSI contribution at the full rate (Class A) to May 1982 at which time she represented to her employer that she was insurable at a modified rate of contribution. The lower rate (Class J) was deducted from that time and appears to be the correct rate of contribution applicable to the employment and is not reckonable for disability benefit purposes. Arrangements have however been made for an officer of the Department to visit the employer concerned to clarify the position.
The position regarding her entitlement to disability benefit will be reviewed on receipt of the investigating officer's report.
385.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment benefit or unemployment assistance was not granted to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 12; the reason she was not informed of the reason for not qualifying when she applied; and if he will give a detailed reply and assure the House that persons calling to employment exchanges are treated with dignity and are given the information they are entitled to.
The unemployment benefit claim of the person concerned was disqualified from 20 March 1984 to 11 April 1984 on the grounds that she left her employment without good cause. She was informed of this by her local office on 5 April 1984. Her entitlement to unemployment benefit from 12 April 1984 however cannot be determined until inquiries about her employment during the relevant contribution period 6 April 1982 to 5 April 1983 have been completed. She was requested to furnish details of employment by two different employers but has replied only in respect of one employer to date.
Pending the outcome of her unemployment benefit claim she applied for unemployment assistance. Her case has been referred to a social welfare officer for investigation of her means and when inquires have been completed her means will be assessed and her entitlement to unemployment assistance will be determined accordingly.
I can assure the Deputy and the House that all applicants at employment exchanges are treated with dignity and from my inquiries I am satisfied that no discourtesy was intended or occurred in dealing with the application of the person concerned.
386.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 12 who is married with four children has been left without disability benefit since 27 April 1984; the reason the Eastern Health Board was refunded the amounts they had paid him while awaiting disability benefit and he has not received anything to date; if, in view of recent statements from public servants regarding the adequacy of bureaucracy to deal with these matters without constituents having to go to their TDs he will state the reason it is considered adequate that this family were left without their entitlements when they had no other source of income; and if he will confirm that the money due has now been paid.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 8 March 1984 and has been paid to 17 May 1984, the date of the latest medical certificate received. He also applied for supplementary welfare allowance and received a sum of £146.55 from the Eastern Health Board from 24 March 1984 to 5 May 1984 resulting in payment being made twice for the same period.
A sum of £90.15 disability benefit covering the period from 27 April to 3 May 1984 was refunded to the health board which reduced the overpayment to £56.40. He again applied for supplementary welfare allowance from 6 May to 10 May 1984 and received a sum of £76.55 resulting in a total of £132.55 due for refund to the health board.