asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan has been refused pay-related benefit.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
611.
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 an applicant. The 85 per cent limit applicable to the person concerned is £73.48. He is at present in receipt of flat rate unemployment benefit at £88.35 weekly and as the weekly rate payable to him exceeds the 85 per cent limit, pay-related benefit is not payable in his case.
612.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a decision will be made on the appeal of a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan for small farmers unemployment assistance.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed from 4 January 1984, on the grounds that his means derived from the profit from his holding, exceeded the statutory limit. He appealed against the assessment of means assessed against him and an appeals officer also assessed him with means exceeding the statutory limit. He was informed of this decision and he has not signed as unemployed at his local office since 21 February 1984.
613.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan will receive small farmers unemployment assistance.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed on the grounds that his means derived from the profit from his holding exceeded the statutory limit. He appealed against the amount of means assessed against him and arising out of contentions made by him in support of his appeal his case was referred to a social welfare officer for further inquiries. When these inquiries are completed his case will be referred to an appeals officer for determination and his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the appeals officer's decision.
614.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan has not been receiving full unemployment assistance.
The person concerned was assessed with means of £3.80 weekly derived from the letting value of land. He is accordingly in receipt of unemployment assistance at £26.15 weekly the appropriate rate £29.95 less means of £3.80. He recently requested a review of his means and his case has been referred to a social welfare officer for reinvestigation. His rate of unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the outcome of these inquiries.
615.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when financial assistance will be given to persons (details supplied) in Dublin 6 as neither is working, they have one child and have no income.
The husband of the married couple referred to in the details supplied by the Deputy applied at his local office on 26 February 1985 for a qualification certificate to enable him to claim unemployment assistance. His case was referred to a social welfare officer for investigation of his means. When these inquiries are completed, his means will be assessed and his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be determined.
616.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a person (details supplied) in County Mayo is in receipt of the proper amount of unemployment assistance.
The person concerned is at present in receipt of unemployment assistance at £43.30 weekly the appropriate rate £79.50 less means £36.20. He appealed against the amount of means assessed against him and an appeals officer also assessed him with means of £36.20 weekly derived from the profit from his holding and from the value of capital.
The profit from his holding was calculated on the basis of a gross income of £5,203 per annum less £3,403 per annum by way of expenses incurred in earning that income. Accordingly he was deemed to enjoy a profit of £1,800 per annum from his holding. His capital amounted to £1,048 and was calculated in accordance with statutory provision at £84.80 per annum. On the basis of a total income of £1,884.80 his weekly means were calculated at £36.20.
617.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan has not received pay-related benefit.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 14 August 1984. All disability benefit payable from 17 August 1984, the fourth day of the claim, to 28 February 1985, the date of the latest medical certificate received, was issued. She was not entitled to pay-related benefit initially as according to the records of the Department at the time, her earnings for the 1982-83 governing tax year under her married RSI number were £2,169, which were insufficient to qualify her for payment.
It has now been established that she had additional earnings of £1,595 in the 1982-83 year under her single RSI number. Her total earnings in 1982-83 of £3,764 qualify her for pay-related benefit. A cheque for £202.58, in respect of all pay-related benefit payable from 4 September 1984 to 28 February 1985, the date of the latest medical certificate received, was issued on 11 March 1985.
618.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the correct rate of payment for a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; if all arrears have been paid up to date; and the amount of this person's pay-related benefit entitlement.
The person concerned is a postal claimant to unemployment benefit from 1 February 1985 and flat rate unemployment benefit of £37.25 weekly was allowed from that date being the maximum rate applicable to a single man. He has been paid all flat-rate unemployment benefit to which he is entitled to date. Following the recent completion of inquiries, it has been established that he is also entitled to pay-related benefit of £22.48 weekly from 22 February 1985. Arrangements have been made to issue an order for encashment at his local post office paying all arrears of pay-related benefit due this week. Further combined payments of £59.73 weekly will be made as they become due.
619.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if the scope section of his Department will inform a person (details supplied) in County Wexford of his insurance contributions record and whether it is sufficient for entitlement for a contributory old age pension.
The Department's records show that the person concerned will reach retirement pension age of 65 on 3 January 1987. He had a total of 1,267 contributions from 1953 to 1977 and this will give him a yearly average over the relevant periods of 38 for for retirement pension at age 65 and also for old age contributory pension at age 66. He will, therefore, have an entitlement to either pension at the rate of payment appropriate to that yearly average. There are no contributions recorded in respect of him since 1977. Full details of his insurance record are being sent to him.
620.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a person (details supplied) in County Wexford is entitled to pay-related benefit in addition to the flat rate of unemployment benefit; and, if so, when this will be paid.
Entitlement to pay-related benefit with flat rate unemployment benefit is subject to the condition that a person has sufficient earnings in the relevant income tax year. The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 26 November 1984 and the relevant income tax period for pay-related benefit was from 6 April 1982 to 5 April 1983. However, as he only entered insurable employment on 19 October 1983 it was necessary to ascertain his earnings for the first 26 weeks of his employment. He was issued with a form for this purpose to be certified by his former employer but it was incorrectly completed. A duplicate form has been issued for completion and when this is received his entitlement to pay-related benefit will be reviewed.
621.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is aware of the mistake made by his Department in the assessment of means in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if, he will arrange to restore unemployment assistance at the maximum rate.
The person concerned failed to furnish the social welfare officer who was investigating his means with details of his stock. He was written to and advised that his entitlement to unemployment assistance would have to be revised unless he furnished the required details and he was given a further opportunity to do so. He did not reply and a deciding officer disallowed his unemployment assistance claim with effect from 6 February 1985 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 was informed accordingly. If he is now prepared to reveal the required details about his stock, he should inform his local office and arrangements will be made to have his case reviewed.
622.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason arrears of a deserted wife's allowance have not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan.
A payable order for the arrears in question, less an amount for disability benefit paid to her by the Department and supplementary welfare allowance paid to her by the North Eastern Health Board while awaiting a decision on her claim, has now been sent to the person concerned.
623.
Mr. Coughlan
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when payment of unemployment benefit will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
Entitlement to unemployment benefit is subject to the condition that a claimant must be available for and genuinely seeking work. The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit from 1 February 1985. Inquiries are being made to ascertain what efforts she is making to find employment to enable a deciding officer to determine whether she fulfils the condition for unemployment benefit of being available for work. Her entitlement to unemployment benefit will be reviewed in the light of the outcome.
624.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when he will pay disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
It has not been possible from the information supplied to trace a disability benefit claim for the person concerned. If the RSI number or the social insurance number of the claimant can be quoted this will enable the claim to be identified and the information sought by the Deputy to be supplied.
The husband of the person concerned died on 17 June 1984 and his invalidity pension book was received in the Department on 25 June 1984. The book was adjusted and returned to the person concerned on 27 June 1984 in her name with six orders from 21 June 1984 to the week which commenced on 26 July 1984. If all of these orders were not cashed by the person concerned, she should return the uncashed orders and arrangements will be made to pay the amount due by payable order.
625.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when he will pay the maximum rate of employment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed from 9 January 1985 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 following further investigations a deciding officer in a revised decision assessed him with nil means effective from 9 January 1985. He is accordingly entitled to unemployment assistance at £62.95 weekly the maximum rate payable to him. All arrears due to him will be paid this week and weekly payments of £62.95 will continue to be made as they become due.
626.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reasons unemployment assistance has been refused to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; if he is aware of this person's serious financial position and of his location; if he will now direct his Department to restore this assistance to the former figure; the date on which all arrears and the original weekly amount will be repaid; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Following reinvestigation of the unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned he was assessed with means of £57.90 weekly derived from the profit from his holding and from the value of capital. He is at present in receipt of unemployment assistance at £5.05 weekly the appropriate rate £62.95 less means £57.90. He appealed against the amount of means assessed against him and an appeals officer on 14 February 1985 assessed him with means of £55 weekly. He is accordingly entitled to unemployment assistance at £7.95 weekly the appropriate rate £62.95 less means £55 from 10 October 1984. All adjusting arrears will be paid to him this week and weekly payments of £7.95 will continue to be made as they become due.
627.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Laois has been refused unemployment assistance.
Availability for work is a condition of entitlement to unemployment assistance and to fulfil this condition an applicant must be capable of, available for and genuinely seeking work. The person concerned claimed unemployment assistance on 4 May 1983, and her claim was disallowed on the ground that she was not available for nor genuinely seeking work. She appealed against the disallowance and attended an oral hearing of her case on 12 August 1983. The appeals officer also decided that she was not available for employment and disallowed her unemployment assistance claim. She was notified accordingly. She ceased to sign as unemployed after 30 August 1983.
628.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment assistance was not granted on appeal to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter setting out exactly how his means were arrived at.
The person concerned was assessed with means at £32.45 weekly and as the sum exceeded the rate of unemployment assistance appropriate to him his claim was disallowed. His means were derived from the beneficial occupation of his uncle's holding on the basis of a gross annual income of £3,220 less expenses incurred in earning that income £1,645 which provided him with a net income of £1,575 in addition to £113.35 per annum from self employment at fishing. He appealed against the amount of means assessed against him and arising from contentions made by him in support of his appeal his case was referred to a social welfare officer for further inquiries. When these inquiries were completed his case was submitted to an appeals officer who also assessed him with means at £32.45 weekly and disallowed his unemployment assistance claim.
629.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when payment of unemployment assistance will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned was assessed with means of £53.85 weekly derived from the profit from his holding. He is at present in receipt of unemployment assistance at 95p weekly, the appropriate rate £54.80 less £53.85 means. He appealed against the amount of means assessed against him and following inquiries by a social welfare officer his case was referred to an appeals officer for determination. The appeals officer required further information and his case was again referred to the social welfare officer for further inquiries. When these inquiries are completed his case will be submitted to an appeals officer for determination and the rate of unemployment assistance payable to him will be reviewed in the light of the appeals officer's decision.