asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will give details of the means of a person (details supplied) in Headford, County Galway, whose social welfare assistance has been reduced; if he is aware that it is impossible for the person concerned to live on 22 acres of land with a wife and five children with his present assistance which has been reduced to £23.55; and if he will give this person an opportunity to appeal this decision immediately.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
522.
Following a re-investigation of his unemployment assistance claim the means of the person concerned were reassessed at £63.45 weekly derived from the profit from his land. He is accordingly entitled to unemployment assistance at £23.55 weekly being the maximum rate payable to him £87.00 less means £63.45. Weekly payments at £23.55 continue to be made as they become due.
An appeal application form has been issued to him and when he completes and returns it his case will be referred to an appeals officer for determination. The rate of unemployment assistance payable to him will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.
523.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the numbers of appeals against the assessment of means for small farmers' assistance awaiting decision from applicants in County Clare; the reason for the delay in dealing with the applications involved; and the efforts he is making to speed up the decisions in these cases.
A total of 63 appeals from smallholders unemployment assistance applicants residing in County Clare are currently awaiting decision. All decisions on appeals are made by appeals officers who deal with cases as quickly as possible. However, due to the increasing number of claims being dealt with under the various social welfare services and staffing constraints in the Department, there has been an unavoidable lengthening of the time involved in dealing with cases. Within the existing constraints every effort is made to ensure that delays are kept to a minimum.
524.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a decision has yet been made following an appeal made by a person (details supplied) in Williamstown, County Galway, for an increase in unemployment assistance.
The person concerned was assessed with means of £47.85 weekly derived from capital and from profit from his holding and he has not appealed against this decision. He recently applied at his local office to have his means re-investigated. Arrangements are being made to have his case re-investigated by a social welfare officer. When the inquiries are completed the assessment of his means will be reviewed and the rate of unemployment assistance payable to him will be determined accordingly. In the meantime weekly payments at £2.90, being the maximum rate of unemployment assistance payable to him £50.75 less £47.85 means, continue to be made to him.
525.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will give a detailed account of all payments of unemployment benefit made to a person (details supplied) in Bagenalstown, County Carlow.
The person concerned was paid unemployment benefit at the maximum rate payable to him as a married man £57.35 weekly during the period of his claim from 4 July 1983 to 22 September 1983. In addition he received pay-related benefit at £24.45 weekly. He again claimed unemployment benefit on 24 October 1983 and was paid at the weekly flat-rate of £57.35 and pay-related benefit £25.45 until 4 February 1984 when he exhausted 156 days of benefit. According to the records of the Department he did not satisfy the contribution condition of having 280 contributions in a seven year period and accordingly his weekly flat-rate unemployment benefit was reduced to £49.75. He also entered the second phase of pay-related benefit and pay-related benefit was reduced to £20.36 weekly. He continued to receive flat-rate unemployment benefit and pay-related benefit at the combined rate of £70.11 until 11 May 1984 when he ceased to sign as unemployed. However he recently furnished details of employment in respect of which contributions were paid under an old insurance number. It was established that he satisfied the contribution conditions for continued payment of flat-rate unemployment benefit at the maximum rate of £57.35 during the period 6 February 1984 to 11 May 1984. He has been written to and asked to call into his local office for the purpose of receiving payment of arrears due.
526.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a decision has yet been made following an appeal made by a person (details supplied) in Donamon, County Roscommon, for an increase in old age pension payments.
It has been decided by an appeals officer that the persons concerned are each entitled to old age pensions at the weekly rate of £12.60. This is the rate of pension to which they are each entitled having regard to the assessment of their means, consisting of half the weekly value of a holding and capital. The transfer of the holding was not acceptable for old age pension purposes as the pensioners are still in beneficial occupation of it.
The pensioner is currently in receipt of a pension book for £12.60. However, his wife's pension book, which has been in the local post office since January 1984, has not been collected. Her current April 1984 pension book is available for collection at present. However, some of the orders in the previous book are out of date at this stage and accordingly this book is being returned by the postmaster and a payable order will be issued shortly in respect of the uncashed orders.
527.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in Ballymacurley, County Roscommon, is in receipt of unemployment assistance, when he should be in receipt of unemployment benefit since January last.
An applicant for unemployment benefit who is a landholder and whose income from his holding exceeds £2 per day must satisfy a contribution condition of having at least 78 paid contributions in a three year period.
The person concerned did not satisfy the contribution conditions of 78 paid contributions in a three year period and as the income from his farm was assessed as being in excess of £2 daily his claim for unemployment benefit was disallowed. He was notified accordingly. He is at present in receipt of unemployment assistance at the rate applicable to a long-term recipient £39 weekly, being the maximum rate payable to him £73.60 less means £34.60 derived from the profit from his land.
528.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment assistance has not yet been granted to a person (details supplied) in Castlecoote, County Roscommon.
The person concerned failed to disclose details of his means when previously claiming unemployment assistance and was overpaid assistance amounting to £6,482.80 in respect of his claim which terminated on 18 January 1983. He is the holder of a qualification certificate with means assessed at £75 weekly derived from profit from land and self-employment. He again claimed unemployment assistance from 25 October 1983 and the weekly rate due to him £13.05 being the maximum rate payable to him £88.05 less £75 is being withheld against the amount of unemployment assistance which he was overpaid. Deductions will continue to be made until the amount overdrawn by him is recovered.
529.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a decision has yet been made following an appeal by a person (details supplied) in Donamon, County Roscommon, for an increase in unemployment assistance payment.
It has not been possible to trace receipt of a claim to unemployment assistance which refers to the person named in the details supplied. Further inquiries in the matter will be made if the Deputy will furnish additional information to enable the person concerned to be identified.
530.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange payment of unemployment benefit at the maximum rate to a person (details supplied) in Ennistymon, County Clare.
The person concerned is at present in receipt of unemployment assistance at £16.50 weekly being the maximum rate payable to him £28 less means £11.50 weekly. His means are derived from self-employment as a shopkeeper. He appealed against the amount of means assessed against him but an appeals officer also assessed him with means at £11.50 weekly. He recently applied for a review of his means but following the completion of inquiries he was again assessed with means at £11.50 weekly derived from self-employment as a shopkeeper.
531.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason an appeal against disallowance of smallholders' unemployment assistance in the case of a person (details supplied) in Ballinamuck, County Longford, was decided before his accounts for expenses were received in the Department; and if his case has been reviewed since.
The person concerned was assessed with means in excess of the statutory limit applicable to him £3,387.80 per annum derived from the profit from his land. His unemployment assistance claim was accordingly disallowed. He appealed against the amount of means assessed against him and an appeals officer also assessed him with means in excess of the statutory limit and disallowed his unemployment assistance claim.
In the light of details of expenses furnished on the applicant's behalf the case was re-investigated by a social welfare officer and, following the completion of inquiries, it was submitted to the appeals officer for consideration of his decision. The appeals officer examined the matter but considered that the evidence submitted would not warrant a revision of the original decision in the case. Arrangements are being made to notify the applicant accordingly.
532.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment benefit or unemployment assistance was not paid to a person (details supplied) in Cork; and the reason her many inquiries were ignored.
The person concerned did not satisfy the contribution condition for unemployment benefit. She applied for unemployment assistance from 2 November 1983 and her case was referred to a social welfare officer for investigation. Following the completion of inquiries she was assessed with means at £20 weekly derived from maintenance from her father. She was accordingly entitled to unemployment assistance at the rate of £8.90 weekly being the maximum rate payable to her £28.90 less £20 means. She received weekly payments as they became due during the periods 2 November 1983 to 15 December 1983 and from 29 December 1983 to 15 March 1984 after which she ceased to sign as unemployed.
Inquiries have been made and it has been ascertained that the local office, at which the person concerned claimed unemployment assistance, is not aware of any outstanding inquiries.
533.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in the recent pension payments to a person (details supplied) in Mullingar, County Westmeath.
The pensioner concerned applied on 1 May 1984 to have his wife appointed as agent on his behalf for the purpose of collecting his pension. The appropriate arrangements were made and the pension book was returned to the pensioner's wife on 15 May 1984. Payment of pension in respect of weeks ending Friday 4 May and 11 May was received on 18 May. The delay in dealing with this matter was due to an oversight and any inconvenience caused is regretted.