asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will consider allocating a travel pass to a person (details supplied) in County Dublin who has been retired on disability grounds.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
548.
The person concerned is not yet 66 years of age and is not in receipt of an allowance or pension which would entitle him to free travel. A free travel pass cannot, therefore, be issued to him at present.
549.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person, (details supplied) in County Monaghan will receive payment of small farmer's unemployment assistance.
The person concerned is entitled to unemployment assistance at £19 weekly, being the appropriate rate £51.70 less £32.70 means derived from the profit from his holding. All arrears due were paid to him on 9 May 1985 and further weekly payments will be made as these become due.
550.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an appeals officer's decision will be forthcoming on a case (details supplied) in County Galway.
An appeals officer recently assessed the means of the person concerned at £40 weekly derived from selfemployment. He is accordingly entitled to unemployment assistance at the weekly rate of £39.50 being the appropriate rate of £79.50 less means £40.
All arrears of unemployment assistance due to him, less the amount of supplementary welfare allowance which he received pending a decision on his unemployment assistance claim, will be paid this week and further payments will be made as they become due.
551.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare how soon an appeal will be held in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5 who has been deemed ineligible for unemployment benefit, and if, in view of this person's availability for work, he will make a statement on the matter.
The person concerned lodged an appeal on 10 May 1985 against the disallowance of her unemployment benefit claim on the grounds that she did not satisfy the condition of being available for work. The case will be dealt with by an appeals officer at the earliest opportunity but at this stage it is not possible to state precisely when the appeal hearing will take place.
552.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if two replacement children's allowance books can now be provided for a person (details supplied) in County Dublin as a matter of urgency having regard to the fact that the subscriber's existing books were returned to his Department some four months ago to have the amount increased for an additional child and to have them readdressed to Glenview post office, Tallaght, County Dublin, but these books have never been returned to or received by the subscriber who is in urgent financial need.
The person concerned submitted an application for children's allowance for an additional child and returned her original book for amendment on 15 February 1985. An allowance book for her additional child was issued on 6 March 1985 and her amended book was reissued to her on 12 March 1985. Both of these books were sent to her home address.
The Department was informed on 8 May 1985 that the person concerned had not received either of the above books and replacement books have been issued.
553.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a person (details supplied) in County Wexford will be awarded a non-contributory old age pension in view of his very low income and his poor financial circumstances.
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 half the weekly value of capital and a holding exceed the statutory limit for entitlement to pension. If the person concerned feels that he should now qualify for pension he should claim in the normal way. On receipt of his application his title will be reinvestigated and he will be notified of the outcome.
554.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to persons (details supplied) in County Offaly.
The first person referred to in the details supplied has not signed as unemployed at his local office since 28 September 1982 and accordingly he is not at present in receipt of unemployment assistance.
The second person referred to in the details supplied is in receipt of unemployment assistance at £7.60 weekly, the appropriate rate £31.75 less means £24.15. His means are derived from the benefit of deed of transfer and from the value of capital.
555.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a deserted wife's allowance is not being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The person concerned, whose claim for a deserted wife's payment was received on 15 February 1985, has been awarded the maximum rate of deserted wife's benefit for herself and four children with effect from 28 February 1985, three months following the date of desertion by her husband.
An order book payable from 23 May 1985 has been issued to the designated post office for collection by her and she has been notified accordingly. Arrears for the period from 28 February 1985 to 22 May 1985, after deductions in respect of the dependant's portions of her husband's disability benefit and any claim the South Eastern Health Board may make for supplementary welfare allowance paid to her, will be sent direct to her by payable order shortly.
556.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment assistance is not being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed on the grounds that the means assessed against him, £38.25 weekly, exceeded the maximum rate of unemployment assistance payable to him. His means were derived from the value of board and lodgings on his parent's holding. He appealed and an appeals officer also assessed his means at £38.25 weekly. He has been notified accordingly.
557.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment assistance is not being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
Following reinvestigation of his unemployment assistance claim the means of the person concerned were assessed at £40 weekly derived from selfemployment. His means accordingly exceed the maximum rate of unemployment assistance payable to him and his claim was disallowed. He recently appealed and arrangements are being made to have his means determined by an appeals officer after which his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.
558.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a children's allowance book was not reissued to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
There is no trace of any correspondence from the person concerned since March 1983 when she claimed an allowance in respect of her child. In the light of the particulars furnished by the Deputy, the person concerned is being contacted to obtain further details and when her reply is received any necessary action will be taken without delay.
559.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a free electricity allowance and a free television licence will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
An application for a free electricity allowance received from the person concerned was approved on 13 May 1985 and the ESB was instructed to apply the allowance to his electricity account from the May-June 1985 billing period onwards. He also qualifies for a free television licence which he may obtain on application at the post office.
560.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will consider restoring disability benefit or a supplementary welfare allowance to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The person concerned was paid a total of 52 weeks disability benefit to 1 August 1981. Payment ceased after that date as he had less than the required minimum of 156 paid contributions since his entry into insurance to entitle him to further payment. In order to re-qualify for payment of benefit it is necessary for him to resume insurable employment for which the appropriate contributions have been paid for a minimum of thirteen weeks.
It is understood from the South Eastern Health Board which administers the supplementary welfare allowance scheme in the Wexford area that the person concerned has not applied for this allowance. It is open to him to apply for this allowance by contacting his community welfare officer at his local health centre.
561.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a claim for unemployment assistance has not been properly processed on behalf of a person (details supplied) in County Offaly in view of the fact that all information was supplied to the social welfare officer on 27 March 1985.
The person concerned claimed unemployment assistance and his case was referred to a social welfare officer for investigation of his means. The social welfare officer completed his report on 26 March 1985 and stated that the applicant had failed to furnish details of his wife's earnings.
His case was referred to a social welfare officer again on 19 April 1985 to afford applicant a further opportunity of co-operating in the investigation of his means. These inquiries were completed recently and he has now been assessed with means of £40.60 weekly derived from the benefit of his wife's earnings. He is accordingly entitled to unemployment assistance at £31.65 weekly the appropriate rate £72.25 less means £40.60. All arrears due to him will be paid this week and weekly payments of £31.65 will continue to be made as they become due.