Skip to main content
Normal View

Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 28 Nov 1984

Vol. 354 No. 5

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.

646.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in County Clare will be paid disability benefit.

There is no trace of a claim of disability benefit from the person concerned. She has been requested to furnish details of her claim. On receipt of a reply the matter will be dealt with.

647.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Clare.

The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was previously disallowed from 5 March 1984 on the grounds that his means derived from the profit from his holding exceeded the statutory limit.

Following a review of his case the assessment of his means was revised and he was assessed with means at £61.50 effective from the commencement of his claim on 5 March 1984. He was accordingly entitled to unemployment assistance at £30.85 weekly from 5 March 1984 increased to £32.65 weekly from 4 July 1984 and all arrears due were paid to him on 4 September 1984. Weekly payments at £32.65 continue to be made to him as they become due.

648.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an appeal by a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5 against a decision to reduce his rate of unemployment assistance from £44 to £22.60 will be decided.

The appeal of the person concerned against the amount of means assessed against him was recently referred to an appeals officer for determination. The appeals officer requires clarification on certain aspects of the income enjoyed by him and the case has been returned to a social welfare officer for additional inquiries. When these inquiries are completed the case will be resubmitted to 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.

649.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a living alone allowance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5 who is presently in receipt of an old age pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The person concerned, who is in receipt of widow's contributory pension, has been awarded a living along allowance of £3.20 a week with effect from 12 October 1984, the Friday following the date of receipt of her claim. An allowance book with orders payable from that date has been sent to the designated post office for collection by the claimant and she has been notified accordingly.

650.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a deserted wife's allowance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.

The claim of the person concerned has been reviewed and it has been decided that she is qualified for the receipt of a deserted wife's payment. An order book payable from 29 November 1984 will be sent to the designated post office within the next few days for collection by her and she is being notified accordingly. The date on which the desertion occurred is still not clear and the local officer will call on her again shortly in order to clarify this. The allowance is payable with effect from three months after the date of desertion.

651.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an old age contributory pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork who is transferring from invalidity pension.

The person concerned will reach age 66 on 14 January 1985. He claimed old age contributory pension on 23 November 1984. He will be entitled to this pension at maximum rate with effect from 18 January 1985. An old age contributory pension book will be issued to the designated post office about two weeks prior to that date for collection by him and he will be notified accordingly.

652.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment assistance was not paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed on the grounds that his means derived from self employment at fishing exceeded the statutory limit. He appealed against the amount of means assessed against him and an appeals officer also assessed him with means exceeding the statutory limit.

He recently requested a review of his means and his case was referred to a social welfare officer for further inquiries. These inquiries were recently completed and the case is in postal transit to a deciding officer for reassesment of his means. His entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the amount of means assessed against him.

653.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason dental benefit was refused to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.

A claim to dental benefit was submitted on behalf of the person concerned on 31 July 1984 in respect of treatment already completed. The claimant had not quoted an RSI number when making his claim and it was necessary to request further information.

Following receipt of the required information his claim was approved on 1 October 1984 and the dentist has since been paid in full for the treatment provided. The dentist has now confirmed that the person concerned had already paid him for the treatment and has agreed to refund the full amount. The person concerned should therefore contact his dentist to arrange for the refund.

654.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow.

The person concerned claimed unemployment assistance on 18 April 1984 but he did not continue to sign as unemployed at his local office. He did not get in touch with his local office again until 13 November 1984 when he made a further supplementary claim to unemployment assistance. His case has been referred to a social welfare officer for inquiries into his means and when these inquiries are completed his means will be assessed and his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be determined accordingly.

655.

Mr. Coughlan

asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an old age pension book will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.

A widow's contributory pension book with orders payable from 16 November 1984 was sent to the designated post office on 26 November 1984 for collection by the person concerned and she has been notified accordingly. Prior to 16 November payments had been made to her by monthly cheque sent to her address in England.

656.

Mr. Coughlan

asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason payment of unemployment benefit has been refused to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.

Entitlement to unemployment benefit is subject to the condition that a claimant is available for work and to fulfil this condition a claimant must be capable of, available for and genuinely seeking employment. Following the completion of inquiries a deciding officer was not satisfied that he was genuinely seeking work and accordingly his claim was disallowed on the grounds that he was not available for work. He has appealed against the disallowance and arrangements have been made to have his case determined by an appeals officer this week. His entitlement to unemployment benefit will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.

657.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment assistance has not been restored to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford.

It has not been possible to trace receipt of a claim to unemployment 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.

658.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an unmarried mother's allowance for the period from 29 June 1984 to 4 October 1984 will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Louth.

A payable order for arrears of unmarried mother's allowance for the period from 9 August 1984 to 3 October 1984, less adjustments in respect of maternity allowance paid to her during that time, has now been sent to the person concerned. She was awarded the allowance from 9 August 1984, the Thursday following the date she ceased work. Prior to that her means excluded her from entitlement to the allowance.

659.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare when the appeal for disability benefit of a person (details supplied) in County Louth will be heard.

Payment of disability benefit to the person concerned was disallowed from 26 November 1984 following examination by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that he was capable of work. He appealed against the disallowance and in connection with his appeal arrangements have been made to have him examined by a different medical referee on 10 December 1984. His entitlement to further payment of disability benefit will be reviewed in the light of the medical referee's report following this examination.

660.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare when the appeal for disability benefit of a person (details supplied) in County Louth will be heard; and the reason for the delay.

Payment of disability benefit to the person concerned was disallowed from 16 July 1984 following examination by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that he was capable of work. He appealed against the disallowance and was examined on 11 September 1984 by a different medical referee who also considered him to be capable of work. His case has been referred to an appeals officer who proposes to hold an oral hearing of the case. He will be notified of the time and place of the hearing as soon as the arrangements have been made.

661.

Mr. Coughlan

asked the Minister for Social Welfare when payment of an unmarried mother's allowance will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.

The claim of the person concerned for unmarried mother's allowance is at present under investigation by a local officer of the Department. On receipt of his report, which is expected within a week or so, a decision will be given on the case without delay.

662.

Mr. Coughlan

asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment assistance has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.

The person concerned was assessed with means at £30.40 weekly with effect from 18 August 1982 derived from sheep dealing and the value of board and lodging on his parents' holding. He appealed against the amount of means assessed against him but an appeals officer also assessed him with means at £30.40 weekly.

He was accordingly not entitled to unemployment assistance as the weekly means assessed against him exceeded the maximum rate of unemployment assistance payable to him. However the rate of unemployment assistance payable to a long term applicant was increased from 4 July 1984 and from that date he became entitled to unemployment assistance at £1.35 weekly being the appropriate rate £31.75 less £30.40. Due to an oversight his claim was not put into payment but the error has been rectified and all arrears of unemployment assistance due to him will be paid this week. Further weekly payments at £1.35 will be made as they become due.

If the person concerned considers that his circumstances have changed since his means were last assessed by the appeals officer it is open to him to apply to have his case reviewed. A form for this purpose may be obtained at his local office.

663.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a prescribed relative allowance will be paid to an old age pensioner (details supplied) in County Clare.

One of the conditions for the award of prescribed relative allowance is that the relative is not working outside the home. The claim of the person concerned, who is in receipt of a widow's non-contributory pension, to a prescribed relative allowance in respect of her son has been refused and she has been notified to this effect. The grounds for the refusal were that her son is working on the family farm and is not therefore in a position to afford the required full time care and attention to his mother.

664.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position with regard to a review of old age pension which is being carried out by his Department for a person (details supplied) in County Galway.

It was decided by an appeals officer on 20 November 1984 that the person concerned is only entitled to an old age pension at the weekly rate of £28.80 from 17 August 1984, which includes an adult dependant allowance of £6.75 in respect of his wife and a dependant child allowance of £8.75 in respect of one qualified child. This is the rate of pension to which he is entitled having regard to the assessment of his means consisting of half the weekly value of capital and a holding.

665.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position with regard to an application for unemployment assistance from a person (details supplied) in County Galway.

Entitlement to unemployment assistance 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 work. The person concerned was in receipt of unemployment assistance from November 1979. He failed to attend an interview arranged by Manpower Services and following the completion of inquiries in the matter his unemployment assistance claim was disallowed from 27 June 1984 on the grounds that he did not fulfil the condition of being available for work. He was notified accordingly and has not appealed against the disallowance of his claim.

Top
Share