asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in Dublin 1 will get a decision regarding a request for a deserted wife's allowance.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
419.
The person concerned has been awarded deserted wife's allowance for herself and six children at the maximum weekly rate of £100.40 with effect from 8 December 1983. An order book payable from 28 June 1984 has been issued to the designated post office for collection by her and she has been notified accordingly.
Arrears for the period from 8 December 1983 to 27 June 1984, less amounts in respect of supplementary welfare allowance and the dependant's portion of her husband's unemployment assistance paid to her during that time, will be sent to her by payable order shortly.
420.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Wexford was denied her claim for unemployment assistance from 1 June 1984.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 5 June 1984 and her claim was allowed from that date at £34.80 weekly being the appropriate maximum flat-rate in her case. Her request to sign the unemployment register retrospectively from 1 June 1984 has been allowed and arrangements have been made to pay this week all arrears of unemployment benefit due for the period 1 June 1984 to 4 June 1984.
421.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason the correct rate of children's allowance is not being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The claimant in this case received an allowance book at the rate of £45 for July 1984 which is the correct rate payable for four qualified children. Payment in respect of her daughter was discontinued from 1 July 1984 as the school certificate submitted in support of her claim for continuation of allowance in respect of this child covered her attendance at school to June 1984 only.
The claimant's allowance is further reduced from August 1984 to £36.15 per month which is the new rate payable in respect of three qualified children. This reduction is necessary as one of the claimant's sons reaches 16 years of age in July 1984. The claimant has been invited to claim continuation of allowance in respect of these children if the conditions for payment of the allowance after age 16 are satisfied. When her application is received a decision will be given and any allowance due will be issued without delay.
422.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5 who was injured when on a work experience programme with AnCO and who has been refused disability benefit, will benefit under any other provision of the occupational injury benefits scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The person concerned claimed injury benefit in respect of an incapacity resulting from an occupational accident on 8 May 1984. Pending the completion of investigations his entitlement to disability benefit on an interim basis was examined. He had no reckonable contributions and failed accordingly to satisfy the qualifying contribution conditions for disability benefit. Following completion of investigations injury benefit was awarded from the date of the accident and has been paid in respect of the period to 24 May 1984, after which he was certified fit to resume work.
423.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the position with regard to an application for unemployment benefit for a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned claimed unemployment assistance on 31 May 1984 following exhaustion of his claim to unemployment benefit. He is entitled to unemployment assistance from 31 May 1984 at £60.95 weekly which is the appropriate maximum rate in his case of £66.90 less means £5.95 derived from capital. All arrears due were paid to him on 12 June 1984 and further payments will be made as they become due.
424.
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 benefit on 10 April 1984. Inquiries had to be made to ascertain the reason for the termination of his employment. These inquiries were recently completed and his unemployment benefit claim was allowed from the date of claim at £34.80 being the appropriate maximum flat-rate in his case. Pay-related benefit at the rate of £1.75 was also allowed. All arrears due were paid on 6 June 1984 and further weekly payments of £36.55 will be made as they become due.
425.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason the maximum rate of old age pension, due to a person (details supplied) in County Galway is not being paid; and if his Department officials are not prepared to take her word with regard to the amount of income and capital that she possesses at present; and if he will have a fifth application reconsidered again.
It was decided by an appeals officer on 21 May 1984 that the person concerned is entitled to an old age pension at the weekly rate of £4.60 from 2 March 1984, which will increase to £7.30 from 6 July 1984. This is the rate of pension to which she is entitled having regard to the assessment of her means, consisting of half the weekly value of her husband's pension from An Post and capital, the disposal of a large part of which is not acceptable for old age pension purposes.
426.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will grant disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Galway who has submitted medical certificates to his Department for the past two years and who should therefore have contributions credited for that period.
The person concerned made a number of claims for disability benefit from 26 April 1982 to date. He is not qualified for payment as according to the records of the Department he had no contributions paid or credited since 1976.
Regulations provide that where a claimant has no contributions paid or credited for two or more consecutive contribution years preceding his claim he cannot qualify for payment of disability benefit or the award of credited contributions in respect of periods of unemployment or incapacity for work until he has a further 26 weeks of insurable employment for which the appropriate contributions have been paid.
The Department was recently advised that the person concerned had been employed for short periods on a casual basis between 1977 and 1981. Inquiries are being made regarding the insurability of this employment and when these are completed his claim will be reviewed.
427.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the progress that has been made towards payment of unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny, as the application has been made for some time and investigations were carried out.
The entitlement of the person concerned to unemployment assistance could not be determined until the inquiries being made by a social welfare officer about his means had been completed.
These inquiries were completed in May 1984 and he was assessed with means at £66 weekly derived from self-employment as an auctioneer. He is accordingly entitled to unemployment assistance at £22.05 weekly which is the appropriate maximum rate in his case of £88.05 less means £66. All arrears due were paid on 31 May 1984 and further weekly payments will be made as they become due.
428.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment benefit has not been paid since December 1983 to June 1984 to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; the amount that will be paid; when it will paid; and the amount of back payments that will be made.
Entitlement to unemployment benefit is subject to the condition that an applicant is available for work and to fulfil this condition an applicant must be capable of, available for and genuinely seeking employment.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 19 December 1983. Inquiries had to be made to ascertain if she was available for and genuinely seeking employment. Following completion of these enquiries her claim was disallowed on the grounds that she was not available for employment. It is open to her to appeal against the disallowance of her claim. A form for this purpose may be obtained at her local office.
429.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when occupational injury benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The person concerned was paid injury benefit from 10 March 1983, the date of his accident at work, to 3 June when he was considered to be capable of work following an examination by a medical referee. He claimed injury benefit again from 11 July 1983 and was examined by a different medical referee who also expressed the opinion that he was capable of work. The later claim to injury benefit was disallowed on these grounds. The claimant's appeal against the decision has been allowed following an oral hearing and consideration of further submissions.
As a result of this decision arrears of injury benefit were awarded for the period from 11 July 1983 to 7 September, the end of the injury benefit period. In addition arrears of disability benefit were awarded for the period from 8 September 1983 to 23 June 1984, with the exception of the periods 7 November 1983 to 5 December 1983 and 4 January 1984 to 9 April 1984 in respect of which disability benefit had already been paid. The sums concerned, however, were withheld and refunded to the South Eastern Health Board on account of supplementary welfare allowance advanced.
Payment of further disability benefit will be made as medical evidence of continuing incapacity is received. A sum of £5 per week will be deducted until such time as the balance of the refund due to the health board, £473.50, has been made. The person concerned has also claimed disablement benefit in respect of the accident. Arrangements have been made for a medical examination on 12 July to assess the extent of his disablement. A decision on the claim will be made as soon as possible.
430.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason that unemployment benefit at the maximum rate is not being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
It has not been possible to trace receipt of a claim to unemployment benefit or 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.
431.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to expedite payment of unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned claimed unemployment assistance on 3 May 1984 following exhaustion of his claim to unemployment benefit and payment has now been authorised from that date at £10.20 weekly being the appropriate maximum rate in his case of £29.40 less means £19.20 derived from the profit from his holding. All arrears due will be paid this week and further weekly payments will be made as they become due.
432.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to pay a non-contributory old age pension to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
An application for old age contributory pension from the person concerned was rejected on the grounds that the statutory contribution conditions were not satisfied in his case. His appeal against this decision is being referred to an appeals officer, and he will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible. His claim for non-contributory old age pension was referred to the local social welfare officer for investigation, but he has since indicated that he is not pursuing this claim pending the appeals officer's decision on his application for old age contributory pension.
433.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will consider granting a free television licence and a free electricity allowance to pensioners who are in receipt of British and US old age pensions.
The benefits in question already apply to pensioners aged 66 and over who are in receipt of British retirement pensions subject to the same conditions as apply in the case of Irish retirement pensioners. Extension of the schemes to recipients of pensions from other countries is not at present contemplated.