asked the Minister for Social Welfare when payment of disability benefit will be resumed to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
589.
The person concerned originally claimed sickness benefit from 17 August 1984 from the Department of Health and Social Services, Belfast.
However, under EC Regulations her claim is proper to the Department of Social Welfare in Dublin and it has now been transferred here.
All benefit payable from 21 August 1984, fourth day of incapacity, less £1,044.00 paid by way of supplementary welfare allowance, has been issued to the claimant.
588.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when payment of disability benefit will be continued to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
The person concerned was last insurably employed in the United Kingdom. Under the EC Regulations on Social Security the claim for sickness benefit is, therefore, the responsibility of the Department of Health and Social Security, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
The Department have been in contact with the Department of Health and Social Security in the matter and have been advised that the person concerned was in receipt of sickness benefit from that Department from 17 August 1982 to 7 November 1984 when he was found capable of work following examination by a medical referee.
An appeal was recently lodged against this decision by the person concerned and the UK authorities have undertaken to process the appeal as soon as possible.
589.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason there was no dermatologist on a medical referee panel to examine a person (details supplied) in County Wexford in relation to her claim for disability benefit; and if this would be arranged in view of her particular complaint which needs a specialist's opinion.
All medical referees of my Department are doctors who are qualified in the diagnosis of dermatological conditions.
The person concerned was medically examined by two medical referees who expressed the opinion that she was not incapable for working due to dermatitis. Disability benefit was discontinued accordingly from 6 August 1984. The decision was upheld by an appeals officer following an oral hearing of the appeal and consideration of all the evidence available. The appeals officer does not consider that a specialist's opinion in the case is required.
Her claim to disablement benefit under the occupational injuries scheme in respect of occupational dermatitis was allowed. Disablement was finally assessed at 5 per cent for life from 27 May 1983 and a disablement pension accordingly is being paid. The decision was upheld by an appeals officer on 29 September 1983.
If the claimant considers that the disablement has deteriorated in the meantime it is open to her to submit medical evidence to that effect to my Department.
590.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a decision will be made on a claim for unemployment assistance for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
Following the completion of extensive inquiries the means of the person concerned were reassessed at £10.95 with effect from 11 August 1984.
He is accordingly entitled to unemployment assistance at £75.80 weekly being the appropriate rate £86.75 less £10.95 means and all arrears due were paid to him on 17 April 1985. Further weekly payments will be made to him as they become due.
591.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a contributory widow's pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Meath whose husband died in February 1985.
The person concerned has been awarded a widow's contributory pension at the weekly rate of £55.10 with effect from 22 March 1985. This is the maximum rate of contributory pension payable to a widow under 66 years of age with one qualified child.
A pension book with orders payable from 3 May 1985 has been sent to the designated post office for collection by her and she has been notified accordingly.
Arrears for the period from 22 March 1985 to 2 May 1985, less supplementary welfare allowance paid to her during that period by the North Eastern Health Board, will be sent direct to her shortly by payable order.
The claimant's late husband had been in receipt of disability benefit at the weekly rate of £80.15 which included increases for his wife and two children. This benefit was paid to her for six weeks after his death on 5 February 1985, in place of widow's pension.
A claim form for an increase in respect of a second child, who is under 18 years of age, has been sent to the widow for completion (she claimed for only one child).
592.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason an elderly person (details supplied) in Dublin 1 has not received her disability benefit for the last three weeks.
The person concerned claimed benefit from 19 September 1983 and payment was issued to 2 April 1985 when she reached 66 years of age. She was informed on 4 December 1984 that disability benefit was not payable to persons past the age of 66 and that payment would cease in her case on 2 April 1985. She was also advised to claim an old age pension at that stage. However, there is no record of any claim having been received to date.
593.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kerry has not qualified for unemployment benefit even though she was working from November 1983 to February 1985.
Entitlement to unemployment benefit is subject to the condition that an applicant must have at least 26 contributions paid or credited in the contribution period governing her entitlement to benefit. The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit from 15 February 1985 and her entitlement to benefit is governed by her contribution record during the period 6 April 1983 to 5 April 1984. According to the records of the Department she has nil contributions paid or credited during this period and her unemployment benefit claim / was disallowed. However the matter of the apparent non-payment of contributions is being investigated and when inquiries are completed her entitlement to unemployment benefit will be reviewed.
594.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
Payment of disability benefit to the person concerned was disallowed from 18 October 1984, following an examination by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that he was capable of work. He appealed against the disallowance and he was examined on 6 December 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 as soon as possible. He will be notified of the time and place of the hearing as soon as the arrangements have been made.
595.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reasons £24.50 is being deducted each week from a person (details supplied) in County Wexford receiving disability benefit; and if he will give details of all payments from the health board.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 30 November 1984 and payment has been issued to 19 April 1985, the date of the latest medical certificate received.
For the period 2 January to 24 January 1985 the amount of £170 supplementary welfare allowance was advanced to him by the South Eastern Health Board. This amount was refunded to the health board on 28 January 1985. He again claimed supplementary welfare allowance for the weeks ending 8 March and 12 April 1985 and £75 and £50 respectively was advanced to him for these periods. To recover these amounts deductions of £24.50 were made from his weekly payments for a period of two weeks. It is now intended to recover the outstanding balance of £76 by weekly deductions of £15 from his current entitlement. Payment of disability benefit will continue to be issued to the person concerned while he remains medically incapable of work.
596.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an invalidity pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
Invalidity pension is payable in place of disability benefit to insured persons who satisfy the contribution conditions and who are permanently incapable of work. The person concerned has been in receipt of disability benefit since 1 May 1984 and payment is being made at regular weekly intervals. Arrangements are being made to have him examined by a medical referee. His entitlement to invalidity pension will be reviewed in the light of the report of this examination.
597
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary was not granted a non-contributory old age pension.
It has been decided that the person concerned is not entitled to an old age pension as he does not fulfil the statutory condition as to means. The assessment of his means, consisting of the weekly value of income from self-employment and capital exceed the statutory limit for entitlement to pension. If the person concerned now wishes to have his entitlement re-examined it is open to him to notify the Department to that effect and the matter will be re-investigated.
598.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit was disallowed to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; and whether she now has sufficient contributions or credits.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 28 January 1985. Payment of benefit was not authorised however, as according to the records of the Department she had not the required minimum of 26 contributions paid or credited in 1983-84, the contribution year governing her claim. She had 12 credited contributions in that year. Credited contributions have been awarded from 28 January 1985 to 15 April 1985, the date of the latest medical certificate received. However, no payment of benefit can be made in respect of the current benefit year which runs from 7 January 1985 to 4 January 1986.