asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in deciding an unemployment assistance appeal lodged in June 1984 by a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
627.
The person concerned is at present in receipt of unemployment assistance at £22.90 weekly the appropriate rate £99.80 less means £76.90. His means are derived from the profit from his holding.
He appealed against the amount of means assessed against him in June 1984. Arising out of contentious made by him in support of his appeal his claim was referred to a social welfare officer for further inquiries. These inquiries were somewhat protracted and were completed only recently. An appeals officer has also assessed him with means of £76.90 weekly. He has been informed accordingly.
628.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying unemployment benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The entitlement of the person concerned to unemployment benefit could not be determined until inquiries to establish his contribution record had been completed. These inquiries were recently completed and his claim has been allowed at the rate of £37.25 weekly and arrangements have been made to pay all arrears due this week. Further weekly payments will be made as they become due.
629.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the payment of an old age pension at the maximum rate to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
Following a review of the old age pension entitlement of the person concerned it was found that she had means from capital which she had not previously disclosed. She was overpaid pension amounting to £288 as a result.
The latest assessment of her means entitles here to an old age pension at the maximum weekly rate of £44.30 including £3 over 80 allowance. A prescribed relative allowance of £23.10 in respect of her son is also in payment. The amount overpaid is being recovered by withholding £6 a week from her pension entitlement and a pension of £38.30 plus £23.10 is, accordingly, being paid to her. The deduction of £6 a week will continue to be made until the overpayment is fully recovered.
630.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be granted to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and the present position in the matter.
The person concerned is at present in receipt of unemployment assistance at £44.70 weekly being the appropriate rate £94 less means £49.30. His means were derived from the profit from his holding and from the value of capital.
He appealed against the amount of means assessed against him and arising from contentions made by him in support of his appeal his claim was referred to a social welfare officer for further inquiries.
These inquiries were extensive and were completed recently. His case was referred to an appeals officer who has now sought further information and the case is again being referred to a social welfare officer for further inquiries. When these inquiries are completed his means will be assessed by the appeals officer and the rate of unemployment assistance payable to him will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.
631.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is aware that due to inadequate accommodation and the huge increase in the numbers out of work, unemployed women who sign on at the Washington Street Labour Exchange in Cork often have to queue outside, and that this causes considerable hardship, particularly in winter months; if he will indicate the measures being taken to deal with this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The women's employment exchange in Washington Street was opened in September 1983 and the arrangements for the transaction of business at the premises have so far proved satisfactory. For the most part claimants are required to attend once each week only to sign the unemployed register and collect their payments. Each claimant is allotted a specified signing time but it appears that some claimants arrive at the employment exchange before the official opening time and queue outside. There is no need for this and queuing could be avoided if claimants attended at their designated signing times.
632.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a free electricity allowance will be sanctioned for a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
To be eligible for free electricity allowance a person must either be living alone or be living with certain categories of persons only. A free electricity allowance cannot be granted to the person concerned as her daughter resides with her who is not a person who comes within these categories for satisfying the living alone condition of the scheme.
633.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment assistance ceased to be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Carlow when he entered hospital in July last.
The person concerned claimed unemployment assistance up to 10 July 1984 and was paid at the weekly rate of £99.80, which is the maximum rate payable in his case. Following his admission to hospital his unemployment assistance claim was terminated on the grounds that he no longer fulfilled the condition of being capable of work.
He claimed disability benefit from 13 July 1984. All disability benefit payable from 13 July 1984 to 2 November 1984, the date of the latest medical certificate received, less the amount of supplementary welfare allowance advanced, was issued on 13 November 1984. The delay in payment of benefit was caused by an administrative error in completing his insurance record for 1982-83, on which his entitlement to benefit depended.
634.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a widow's pension is not being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The person concerned has been awarded a widow's contributory pension, based on her late husband's Irish insurance contributions, at the rate of £80.70 per week with effect from 3 August 1984, the Friday following his death. This is the maximum rate of pension payable to a widow under 66 years with three qualified children.
Pension books with orders payable from 31 August 1984 have been issued to the designated post office for collection by her and she has been notified accordingly. Arrears for the period 3 August to 30 August 1984 will be sent direct to her shortly by payable order.
Her late husband was also insurably employed in the United Kingdom and the Department of Health and Social Security, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, has been requested to examine her possible title to a British widow's pension. That Department will be in contact with her in this regard.
635.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a disability pension was reduced in the past few weeks in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin.
The person concerned is an unemployed person who exhausted her entitlement to unemployment benefit on 24 June 1984 when she received benefit for the maximum period of 390 days.
She claimed unemployment assistance and following the completion of investigations she was assessed with means at £11.85 weekly derived from the value of board and lodging in her parents home. She appealed against the amount of means assessed against her but an appeals officer also assessed her with means at £11.85 weekly. The rate of unemployment assistance payable to her was £18.50 weekly increased to £20.95 in accordance with budget increases with effect from 4 July 1984. She has been in continuous receipt of weekly payments of unemployment assistance since the commencement of her claim and there has been no reduction in the rate of unemployment assistance payable to her in recent weeks.