asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a decision has been made on an appeal against his decision in relation to unemployment assistance for a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
370.
In the light of contentions made by the person concerned in support of his appeal against the disallowance of his unemployment assistance claim the case was referred to a social welfare officer for further investigations.
It is expected that the inquiries will be completed shortly after which the case will be submitted to an appeals officer and his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be determined in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.
371.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position with regard to an appeal against his decision in relation to unemployment assistance for a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
An appeals officer assessed the means of the person concerned at £59.50 weekly from 27 July 1983 and £58.15 weekly from 5 August 1983 derived from the profit from his land. He was accordingly entitled to unemployment assistance at £4.25 weekly from 27 July 1983, £5.60 from 5 August 1983 increased to £8.75 from October 1983. Arrears due were paid on 12 December 1983. He is at present in receipt of the weekly rate of £14.10 being the rate appropriate to him £72.25 less means £58.15. He appealed for a review of the assessment of his means and his case was referred to a social welfare officer for a further investigation. Inquiries are still being made in the matter but when these are completed the assessment of his means will be reviewed and the rate of unemployment assistance payable to him will be determined accordingly.
372.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 1 has not received her new pension book; and if he will arrange to have the matter rectified immediately.
The old age pension book which issued to the person concerned payable from 5 October 1984 was not, due to a clerical error, addressed to the appropriate post office of payment. The book was recalled as soon as this came to light and the pensioner collected the amended book in time to receive payment on Friday last. The inconvenience caused to her is regretted.
373.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cork who is in receipt of disability benefit is not getting his allowance regularly even though he is sending in certificates on a weekly basis.
The person concerned has been paid disability benefit to 9 October 1984, the date of the latest medical certificate received.
There was a delay in issuing benefit from 24 September 1984 to 2 October 1984 caused by an administrative error. Benefit payable for this period was issued on 8 October 1984.
374.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork, who has been signing on for the past six weeks; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The person concerned is a postal applicant for unemployment assistance, whose claim was disallowed in February 1983 on the grounds that his means exceeded the statutory limit.
He resumed signing as unemployed on 16 September 1984. The local office dealing with his case associated the certificates of unemployment with another person of the same name residing in the same postal district and issued an application form for completion which was not returned. However the matter was recently clarified and the person concerned has been furnished with an application form for completion. When he returns it to his local office his case will be investigated by a social welfare officer at the earliest opportunity.
Following the completion of inquiries his means will be re-assessed and his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be determined accordingly.
375.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will take immediate action to ensure that pension books and fuel vouchers are brought to Faussagh Road Post Office, Cabra, Dublin 7, where many pensioners have been left without their entitlements over the past two weeks.
A number of pension books were sent in error to the Post Office at Faussagh Avenue instead of Faussagh Road. Notification of this was received on Friday last and the matter has been resolved. The pension books are now in the post office ready for collection by the pensioners. A further pension book which was issued to the Fassaugh Road Post Office has not turned up. Arrangements have been made for a replacement book to be issued and this will also be available for collection by the pensioner this week.
In relation to the fuel vouchers it is understood from Dublin Corporation, who administer the scheme for the Dublin area, that the fuel vouchers for the 1984-85 scheme are in the course of issue to all post offices. The first issue of fuel vouchers will take place on 19 October and persons entitled to vouchers for weeks ending 5 and 12 October will receive vouchers on the 19th. Any inconvenience caused is regretted.
376.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will be granted free electricity allowance; and the reason for the delay as this person applied approximately eight months ago.
There is no trace of the receipt of the application for a free electricity allowance from the person concerned, said to have been made in February last. He has been awarded an allowance in respect of a more recent application and in the circumstances of this case the ESB has been instructed to backdate the allowance to the March-April 1984 billing period.
377.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the recalling of a children's allowance book every two months from a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned was overpaid children's allowance amounting to £52.50 due to his failure to notify the Department of a change affecting his entitlement. His allowance book was recalled in February 1984 to enable recovery to be effected by deduction at the rate of £11.25 a month from his current entitlement. He was advised accordingly and the appropriate reduced book was issued to him.
Due to an oversight, the necessary adjustments to complete recovery of the overpayment were not made in the renewal book payable from July 1984 which was issued to the person concerned. The book was recalled in September 1984 and was re-issued duly amended on 8 October 1984. The overpayment has now been recovered and an adjusting payment of £4.55 will be made by payable order shortly. Payment at the rate of £60.25 a month, which is the appropriate rate in respect of five qualified children, resumes from November 1984.
378.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when pay-related benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
Entitlement to pay-related benefit with flat-rate unemployment benefit is subject to the condition that the weekly sum of pay-related benefit, flat-rate unemployment benefit and income tax rebate may not exceed 85 per cent of the net average weekly earnings of a claimant.
The person concerned has no reckonable earnings in the current income tax period and inquiries had to be made to establish the amount of his earnings during the income tax period 6 April 1983 to 5 April 1984 to ascertain whether he satisfied the 85 per cent limitation applicable to his case. These inquiries were recently completed following which his entitlement to pay-related benefit was determined at £27.69 weekly. Arrangements are being made for the early payment of all arrears of pay-related benefit due to him. Further combined payments at £88.69 representing flat-rate unemployment benefit and pay-related benefit will be made as they become due.
379.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when social welfare occupational injury benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry.
The person concerned claimed injury benefit on 2 October 1984 from 26 June 1984 in respect of an incapacity resulting from an occupational accident on the latter date.
In the case of a late claim for injury benefit it is provided under regulations that injury benefit is only payable from 21 days before the date of claim except where good cause is shown for the delay in making the claim.
The insured person failed to reply to an inquiry issued to him regarding the delay in making his claim which was allowed from 11 September, 21 days before the date of the claim. Injury benefit has been paid to the date of the latest medical certificate received.
380.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a free travel card will be issued to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry.
A free travel pass was issued to the person concerned on 15 October 1984.
381.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment and pay-related benefit at the maximum rates are not being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Clare.
The person concerned is at present in receipt of flat-rate unemployment benefit at £37.25 weekly which is the maximum rate payable to him as a single person.
He is also being paid pay-related benefit at £5.93 which is the appropriate rate payable to a person with reckonable earnings of £3,336 per annum, during the governing income tax period 6 April 1982 to 5 April 1983. Combined payments at £43.18 weekly continue to be made to him as they become due.