asked the Minister for Social Welfare how an assessment of £57.70 per week was calculated for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; if he considers this to be a fair assessment; and in view of the hardship it has created if he will fully and sympathetically reconsider the matter.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
200.
The person concerned has been in receipt of unemployment assistance with means assessed on the notional value of his holding. Following a reinvestigation of his case by a social welfare officer his means were assessed at £57.70 derived from the profit from his farm. The amount was calculated on the basis of the income earned by him from farming less the amount of expenses incurred as supplied by him to the social welfare officer. He appealed against the amount of the means assessed against him and the contentions made by him in support of his appeal, were referred to an appeals officer for consideration. The appeals officer however also assessed means of £57.70 weekly. The appeals officer's decision is final in the absence of fresh facts or new evidence that was not already available.
201.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason children's allowance for children over 18 years of age still attending school is not payable to all one-parent families; and the reason the law discriminates against the parent if the parent is the father.
Payment under the general scheme of children's allowances is not made beyond the age of 18. An increase of pension, benefit or allowance, in respect of a child between the ages of 18 and 21 who is in full-time education is however payable where the parent is in receipt of any of the following from my Department—
Widow's Contributory or Non-Contributory Pension, Deserted Wife's Benefit or Allowance, Unmarried Mother's Allowance and Prisoner's Wife's Allowance,
or where the parent is a widow and in receipt of Invalidity, Retirement or Old Age Pension.
Recognition has been given to the special needs of widows who have lost their husbands who would normally be the breadwinner in the family and this has been reflected in the social welfare code by special provisions for widows. Indeed in the Constitution the widow is mentioned as deserving of special care from the State and the inclusion of other women in the list I mentioned earlier in my reply is an extension of the provision for widows to cover other women who find themselves in somewhat similar situations.
The number of men in this situation would be much smaller and if in need they would be able to apply for assistance under the scheme of supplementary welfare allowances. I am satisfied, therefore, that overall there is provision for assistance to cover all the contingencies that may arise.
202.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if, arising out of his reply to Questions Nos. 185, 186 and 189 of 19 January 1984 regarding a person (details supplied) in Dublin 13, an outdoor officer of his Department has now fully investigated the question of outstanding employment contributions; the recommendations that have been made to his Department by this officer; if the question of eligibility to both dental and optical benefit in this case as well as the loss of pay-related benefit from 7 February 1981 to 3 June 1981 will now be reviewed in the light of additional information provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Investigation of the outstanding contributions in respect of the employment of the person concerned has now been finalised and the amounts outstanding have been reported to the collector general of revenue.
The contributions due have, under the regulations, been treated as paid and the person concerned is therefore qualified for dental and optical benefit. She is also qualified for pay-related benefit. A notification to this effect has been issued to her.
203.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will amend the free telephone rental allowance scheme to include widows in receipt of widow's pension, if they are living alone or if they are living with children under 18 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The free telephone rental allowance is intended to enable aged or incapacitated pensioners to have access to aid in an emergency. The scheme applies to persons who are in receipt of a social welfare type pension or allowance, including widow's pension, provided they are aged 66 or over. If under that age, however, the person must be in receipt of an invalidity or blind pension or a disabled person's maintenance allowance. To extend the scheme to persons in receipt of widow's pension regardless of age would change the nature of the scheme and would have significant cost implications.
I have no proposals for such an extension in present circumstances.