asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether a person (details supplied) in County Wexford is entitled to a family income supplement.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
466.
To qualify for family income supplement a person must be engaged in remunerative full time employment as an employee. There is no record of the receipt of a claim from the person concerned, but from the information supplied he is not employed as an employee and would consequently not be entitled to family income supplement.
467.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if unemployment assistance can be approved for a person (details supplied) in County Dublin having regard to the fact that she is now available for work.
The entitlement of the person concerned to unemployment benefit could not be determined until inquiries to establish that she fulfilled the condition of being available for work had been completed. These inquiries were recently completed and her unemployment benefit claim has been allowed at the weekly rate of £32.75. All arrears due will be paid to her this week and further weekly payments will be made as they become due.
468.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will allow an oral hearing in the smallholders' assistance appeal of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick having regard to the fact that he is convinced he has not been given a full opportunity to ensure that his expenses were allowed; and when this oral hearing can be given.
It is a matter for an appeals officer to decide whether he holds an oral hearing of an appeal or whether he determines a case summarily. In the appeal of the person concerned against the amount of means assessed against him for unemployment assistance purposes the appeals officer decided the case summarily and assessed him with means in excess of the statutory limit.
However, in the light of the issues raised by the Deputy the case is being referred again to the appeals officer to consider whether in the particular circumstances the reopening of the appeal by way of an oral hearing is called for.
469.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is satisfied that a person (details supplied) in County Limerick who is in receipt of a widow's pension is getting her full pension.
The person concerned is in receipt of widow's non-contributory pension at the weekly rate of £52.25. This is the rate appropriate to a widow under 66 years of age with three qualified children and whose weekly means exceed £26 but do not exceed £28. Her means derived from farm holdings are assessed at £27.70 per week. As a result of representations on behalf of the claimant by the Deputy her case is at present being reinvestigated by a local social welfare officer to determine if there has been any changes in circumstances. When the officer's report is received her claim will be reviewed without delay and she will be notified of the outcome.
470.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in granting the appropriate children's allowance to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and whether an allowance is being made in respect of her son.
A renewal children's allowance book in respect of one qualified child, for the period July 1984 to June 1985 was issued in June 1984 to the claimant's post office of payment for collection by her.
The claimant did not receive this book and notified the Department accordingly in December 1984. Due to an oversight a replacement book was not issued until 26 February 1985. A payable order in respect of arrears due will be issued shortly.
471.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of persons in County Meath and in the country at large who are in receipt of (i) unmarried mother's allowance and (ii) deserted wife's allowance for the years 1983 and 1984.
Statistics for these services are not maintained on a county basis. For the country as a whole the number of recipients was as follows:
|
At end of year |
Unmarried Mother's Allowance |
Deserted Wife's Allowance |
Deserted Wife's Benefit |
|
1983 |
8,534 |
3,473 |
3,825 |
|
1984 |
10,309 |
3,653 |
4,403 |
472.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the total social welfare budgetary allocation for Cork city and county; and the number of heads of household receiving unemployment benefit/assistance from the Government.
Statistics are not maintained in a manner which would enable the information sought by the Deputy to be furnished.
473.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a decision will be made on an appeal for unemployment assistance for a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed on the grounds that his means derived from the profit from his land exceeded the statutory limit. He appealed against the amount of means assessed against him and his case was referred to an appeals officer for determination. An appeals officer also decided that his means exceeded the statutory limit. He was notified accordingly on 4 September 1984 and has not signed as unemployed since that date.
474.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an old age pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
The claim of the person concerned to a widow's non-contributory pension is at present under investigation by a local officer of the Department. Inquiries into the claimant's circumstances have taken a considerable length of time and at present a reply is awaited from the Valuation Office about the capital value of two houses. As soon as this reply comes to hand and a report is received from the officer a decision on the claim will be given without delay.
475.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cavan who is an old age pensioner is receiving only £7.30 per week.
Following a review of the old age pension entitlement of the person concerned it was found that he had means from capital which he had not previously disclosed. He was overpaid pension amounting to £240 as a result.
The latest assessment of his means entitles him to an old age pension at the reduced weekly rate of £9.30. The amount overpaid is being recovered by withholding £2 a week from his pension entitlement and a pension of £7.30 is, accordingly, being paid to him. The deduction of £2 a week will continue until the overpayment is fully recovered.
476.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan will receive an increase in widow's pension.
The widow's non-contributory pension of the person concerned was terminated in February 1984 as her means derived from a farm holding exceeded the statutory limit for receipt of pension.
Following representations on her behalf received recently from the Deputy a social welfare officer was asked to reinvestigate the widow's financial circumstances. When this officer's report is received, a decision will be given in the case without delay and the claimant will be notified.
477.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan has not received disability benefit.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 1 February 1985. According to the records of the Department, he has not the required minimum of 26 contributions reckonable for disability benefit purposes paid or credited in 1983-84, the contribution year which governs his claim. He is not therefore qualified for payment of disability benefit.
478.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5 whose means were assessed before Christmas, 1984; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The means of the person concerned for unemployment assistance purposes have not yet been assessed. His case was referred to a social welfare officer for investigation of his means. The social welfare officer has made a number of void calls to his home address but he has not made himself available for interview.
The social welfare officer will make a further effort to interview him this week and if he is available for interview the social welfare officer will complete his inquiries. When these inquiries are completed his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be determined. In the meantime he is in receipt of supplementary welfare allowance pending the outcome of his unemployment assistance claim.
479.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 8 has had his unemployment benefit reduced.
Entitlement to continuous payment of unemployment benefit at the maximum rate after exhaustion of 156 days benefit is subject to the condition that a person has paid contributions in respect of not less than 280 contribution weeks in the period of seven complete contribution years immediately preceding the date of his claim.
The person concerned was in receipt of the maximum rate of flat-rate unemployment benefit to 26 December 1984 when he exhausted 156 days of benefit. He did not fulfil the contribution condition for continuous payment of unemployment benefit at the maximum rate and accordingly his weekly rate of unemployment benefit was reduced from £61.40 weekly to £53.20 weekly from 27 December 1984.
He is entitled to pay-related benefit of 56p weekly in addition to flat rate unemployment benefit. Combined payments of £53.76 weekly continue to be made as they become due.
480.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Laois who was refused this allowance and who appealed this decision some time ago.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned 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.
He appealed against this decision and his case was referred to a social welfare officer for further inquiries. These inquiries have now been completed and a deciding officer in a revised decision has assessed his means at £16.45 weekly derived from the value of board and lodgings in his parents home. He is accordingly entitled to unemployment assistance at £15.30 weekly, the appropriate rate £31.75 less means £16.45. All arrears due to him will be paid this week and further payments will be made as they become due. He is being advised through his local office of his right to appeal against this revised decision if he is dissatisfied with the amount of means assessed against him.
481.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny.
The person concerned claimed unemployment assistance on 24 January 1985 and his case was referred to a social welfare officer for investigation of his means. When these inquiries are completed his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be determined in the light of the social welfare officer's report. In the meantime he is in receipt of supplementary welfare allowance pending the outcome of his claim.
482.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a family income supplement will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny.
The person concerned was awarded a family income supplement at the weekly rate of £10 from 6 September 1984. The appropriate order book was issued to the designated post office on 6 March 1985 and the claimant was notified accordingly. The order book contains orders up to 17 January 1985 only, as the person concerned became unemployed subsequently and was thereby disqualified for receiving supplement. He should notify my Department if he resumes employment and when he does so an appropriate order book will be issued to him without delay.
483.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will investigate the reason social welfare cheques have been lost in the post on five successive occasions in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9; and if he will take action to amend this situation.
The matter has been referred for urgent investigation by an inspector of the Department and the position will be further reviewed in the light of his report. In the meantime, arrangements are being made to issue future cheques to the local health centre for collection by the person concerned.
484.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if disability benefit will be recommenced for a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; and if an appeal hearing will be expedited.
Payment of disability benefit to the person concerned was disallowed from 29 January 1985, 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 are being made to have him examined as soon as possible by a different medical referee. He will be notified of the time and place of the examination as soon as the arrangements have been made.
485.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a person (details supplied) in County Wexford is entitled to pay-related benefit; and if so when it will be paid.
Following the recent completion of inquiries, the pay-related benefit entitlement of the person concerned has now been determined. He is entitled to this benefit but at the reduced rate of 60p per week. The relevant legislation provides that pay-related benefit cannot be added to flat rate benefit to an extent which would cause total weekly payments to exceed 75 per cent of average weekly earnings in the relevant income tax year.
In the case of the person concerned, the relevant income tax year is 1982-83 in which his average weekly earning were £94.96, 75 per cent of which is £70.85. He is in receipt of flat rate benefit at the weekly rate of £70.25 and his pay-related benefit entitlement is, therefore, 60p per week.
486.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a children's allowance book has not been returned to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford since before Christmas.
The person concerned submitted an application for continuation of children's allowance on 10 December 1984 in respect of her son who reached 16 in December 1984. Children's allowance was awarded in respect of this child from January 1985 but in error no book was issued. An allowance book has now been issued direct to the claimant's home address.
487.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reasons a person (details supplied) in Dublin 1 is no longer in receipt of unemployment assistance.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was reinvestigated recently and her claim was disallowed from 6 February 1985 on the grounds that by failing to furnish details of her means she failed to show that her means did not exceed the statutory limit.
The social welfare officer investigating her case made a number of void calls to her home address. He also wrote to her, but she did not make herself available for interview. If she is now prepared to co-operate she should inform her local office and arrangements will be made to review her entitlement to unemployment assistance.