asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an old age non-contributory pension will be granted to a person (details supplied) in County Offaly.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
552.
It was decided on 5 September 1984 that the person concerned is not entitled to any old age pension on the grounds that his means, consisting of half the weekly value of a holding and capital, exceed the statutory limit for entitlement to pension.
An appeal against the decision was made on 12 September 1984 and the case was referred to an appeals officer for determination. The pensioner will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible.
553.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason payment of old age pension ceased in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
The pension in payment to the person concerned was reduced to £10.05 a week from 20 July 1984 when one of his children ceased to be a qualified child on reaching the age limit of 18 years. A subsequent review of his entitlement revealed that his means, consisting of half the weekly value of a holding and capital, had increased and were in excess of the statutory limit for entitlement to pension. Payment of pension has, therefore, been refused from 5 October 1984 and he has been notified accordingly.
554.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a widow's pension will be granted to a person (details supplied) in County Dublin.
The person concerned has been awarded a widow's contributory pension at the weekly rate of £93.50 with effect from 14 September 1984, the day after her husband's death. This is the maximum rate of contributory pension payable to a widow under 66 years with four qualified children.
Pension order books with orders payable from 14 September 1984 were issued to the designated post office on 12 October 1984 for collection by her and she was notified accordingly.
555.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason free telephone rental allowance was refused to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
In order to qualify for a free telephone rental allowance a person must be living entirely alone or only with children under 15 years of age or other persons who are so permanently incapacitated as to be unable to summon aid in an emergency.
The person referred to in the Deputy's question is residing with his wife who is not, from the information furnished, a permanently incapacitated person as required by this scheme. Accordingly, a free telephone rental allowance cannot be applied in this case. The applicant was notified to this effect on 6 June 1984.
556.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment benefit was not paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
A deciding officer was not satisfied that the person concerned fulfilled the condition of being unemployed during the period 10 November 1983 to 23 May 1984 and inquiries were undertaken in the matter. The extensive investigations were only recently completed following which it was accepted that he was unemployed and entitled to unemployment benefit during the period stated.
Arrangements have been made to pay all arrears of unemployment benefit due this week less the amount of supplementary welfare allowance which he received pending the outcome of his unemployment benefit claim.
557.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is aware that house mortgage repayments on a private house are not taken into account when assessing the income of an applicant for social welfare benefits under the smallholders' unemployment assistance scheme; and if he will consider allowing for same.
In the calculation of means for unemployment assistance purposes in the case of smallholders allowance is made for all expenses incurred in connection with the running of the farm. Mortgage repayments on a private house would not be regarded as an expense incurred in connection with running the farm and would not therefore be allowed as a deduction. The treatment of mortgage repayments is the same for all applicants for unemployment assistance and there are no plans to alter the method of assessment in this regard.
558.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will expedite the payment of unemployment benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit from 20 September 1984. Inquiries had to be made to ascertain that he fulfilled the condition of being available for work.
These inquiries were recently completed and his unemployment benefit claim was allowed from the date of claim at £37.25 weekly, being the appropriate rate of unemployment benefit in this case. All arrears due were paid on 19 October 1984 and further weekly payments of £37.25 will be made as they become due.
559.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment assistance at the maximum rate is not being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry.
Following reinvestigation of his unemployment assistance claim the means of the person concerned were reassessed at £1.50 weekly, derived from the profit from his land. Accordingly, he is in receipt of unemployment assistance at £53.30 being the appropriate rate £54.80 less means £1.50. Weekly payments of £53.30 continue to be made as they become due.
560.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a children's allowance book will be issued to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Due to a clerical error a renewal allowance book did not issue from July 1984. A children's allowance book at the rate of £48.20 in respect of four qualified children has now been issued to the claimant.
561.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be granted at the maximum rate to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The person concerned was in receipt of unemployment assistance of £34.10 per week being the appropriate rate £62.95 less means of £28.85 previously assessed against him. Following his failure to make himself available for interview by a social welfare officer reinvestigating his means, unemployment assistance was disallowed on the grounds that by failing to furnish details of his means, he failed to show that his means did not exceed the statutory limit.
It is noted that he is now willing to co-operate and his case has been referred to the social welfare officer for reinvestigation. His entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the social welfare officer's report.
562.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position regarding an appeal against the decision to discontinue payment of unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will expedite a favourable decision in this case.
The person concerned appealed against the disallowance of his unemployment assistance claim and it was necessary to return the papers to a social welfare officer for further inquiries arising from certain contentions raised in the appeal. These inquiries were recently completed and the case has been referred to an appeals officer for determination and the person's entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed accordingly.
563.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a social assistance allowance has not yet been granted to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The person concerned was in receipt of single woman's allowance at the weekly rate of £29.05 up to 21 June 1984. She reached the age of 66 years on 26 June 1984 and is not entitled to the allowance from that date.
She is at present in receipt of an old age pension at the weekly rate of £39.30 being the appropriate rate to an applicant with means over £6 weekly up to £8. She has appealed against the amount of means assessed against her and arrangements are being made to refer her case to an appeals officer for determination.