asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will re-examine the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 6 who was only awarded a pension of £11.30 per week who is not allowed free electricity and other such benefits and who is finding it very difficult to make ends meet.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
686.
It has been decided by an appeals officer that the person concerned is entitled to an old age pension at the weekly rate of £8.60 from 6 April 1984. This rate increased to £11.30 from 6 July 1984. This is the rate to which she is entitled having regard to the assessment of her means consisting of the weekly value of income from boarders. If her circumstances have changed since then it is open to her to apply for an increase in her pension by notifying the Department to that effect.
To qualify for a free electricity allowance a person must reside alone or with persons whose residence is expected for the purposes of the scheme. A free electricity allowance cannot be granted to the person concerned as the boarders who reside with her do not come within the categories for satisfying the living alone condition of the scheme.
687.
(Limerick West) asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a retirement pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick.
There is no record of receipt of a claim for retirement pension from the person concerned. His entitlement will be examined if he submits a completed claim form to the Department. A retirement pension claim form can be obtained at any post office.
688.
(Limerick West) asked the Minister for Social Welfare when payment of a contributory widow's pension will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick.
The claim of the person concerned to a widow's contributory pension has been disallowed because her late husband's record does not satisfy the condition which requires 156 contributions to have been paid since entry into insurance. The claimant herself has no insurance record. The local social welfare officer has been asked to report on her circumstances to see if she would be entitled to a non-contributory pension. When the officer's report, which is expected within the next week or so, is received a decision will be given in her case without delay and she will be notified of the outcome.
The claimant indicated that her late husband was employed in the United Kingdom and her possible title to a pro rata contributory pension under EC Regulations, based on the combination of his Irish and British insurance records, will be examined and she will be notified of the outcome. The Department of Health and Social Security has been requested to examine her entitlement to a British widow's pension and liaison papers have been sent to that Department who will advise her of the outcome.
689.
(Limerick West) asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed on the grounds that his means, derived from profit from his holding and from the income from letting land, exceeded the maximum rate payable to him.
He appealed against this decision and following further investigations a deciding officer in a revised decision reduced the amount of means assessed against him to £46.15 weekly. He is accordingly entitled to unemployment assistance at £5.55 weekly the appropriate rate £51.70 less means £46.15. All arrears due to him will be paid this week and weekly payments of £5.55 will continue to be made as they become due. He is being informed that he is entitled to appeal if he is dissatisfied with this new decision.
690.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an oral hearing will take place for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the delay in this case.
Payment of invalidity pension to the person concerned was disallowed from 20 September 1984, following an investigation by an officer of the Department who established that he was self-employed. He appealed against the disallowance and his case has been referred to an appeals officer who proposes to hold an oral hearing as soon as possible. He will notified of the time and place of the hearing as soon as the arrangements have been made. The delay in hearing the appeal has been caused by an increase in the number of appeals and everything possible is being done to relieve the situation.
691.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to have a non-contributory widow's pension restored to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny as soon as possible; and the outcome of this person's appeal which was lodged by Deputy Aylward on her behalf sometime ago.
The appeal of the person concerned against the decision terminating her widow's non-contributory pension with effect from 29 June 1984 was disallowed by an appeals officer on 26 October 1984. She was notified accordingly. Her means were assessed at £79.26 which exceeded the limit of £72 applicable to her as a widow under 66 years of age with three qualified children.
In view of the Deputy's question the local social welfare officer has been asked to supply an up-to-date report on her means to see if she would now be entitled to a pension. The means limit was raised to £78 from 6 July 1984 and will be further raised to £82 from 12 July next. When the officer's report is received the case will be reviewed and the claimant will be notified of the outcome.
692.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit was refused to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 20 March to 20 April 1985, after which date he was certified fit to resume work. His insurance contributions for 1983-84, the contribution year governing his claim, are not reckonable for social welfare benefits as they were paid at the class K rate. Accordingly he was not entitled to payment of disability benefit for the period of his claim.
693.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the outcome of an appeal by a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny which is with his Department for some time now.
Arising out of contentions made by the person concerned in support of his appeal against the amount of means assessed against him his case was 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 his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the appeals officer's decision. In the meantime he is in receipt of unemployment assistance at £14.35 the appropriate rate £81.85 less means £67.50.
694.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position regarding an application for a free electricity allowance made by a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
An application for a free electricity allowance which was received from the person concerned was approved and the Inishbofin Community Council have confirmed that the allowance was applied to her electricity account from the January-February 1985 billing period onwards.
695.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position regarding the application for a free electricity allowance made by a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
An application for a free electricity allowance which was received from the person concerned was approved and the Inishbofin Community Council have confirmed that the allowance was applied to her electricity account from the January-February 1985 billing period onwards.
696.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the immediate payment of the maximum rate of unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
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 indentified.
697.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for a free telephone allowance to be granted to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
Persons under 66 years of age can qualify for a free telephone rental allowance only if they are in receipt of an invalidity or blind persons pension from the Department or a disabled persons maintenance allowance from a health board.
The person concerned is under 66 years of age and is not in receipt of one of the above payments. She cannot therefore qualify for this allowance at present. She was notified accordingly on 19 January 1983, and 7 May 1985, following receipt of applications for the allowance from her.
698.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the immediate payment of the maximum rate of unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed on the grounds that by failing to furnish particulars of her means she failed to show that her means did not exceed the statutory limit. She obtained an appeal application form to enable her to have her means determined by an appeals officer, but did not return the form to date. She last signed as unemployed on 27 February 1985.
699.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position regarding the application for a free telephone rental allowance made by a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
To qualify for a free telephone rental allowance a person in receipt of a qualifying payment must be living alone or only with children under 15 years of age or other persons who are so permanently incapacitated as to be unable to summon aid in an emergency. The person concerned is residing with her parents who are not from the information furnished permanently incapacitated as required by the scheme. Her application was therefore rejected and she was notified accordingly on 17 March 1985.
700.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the maximum rate of unemployment assistance to be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned was assessed with means of £24.60, derived from the profit from his holding. He appealed against this decision and an appeals officer on 25 January 1985 reduced the amount of means assessed against him to £19.20 weekly. He is accordingly in receipt of unemployment assistance at £12.55 weekly the appropriate rate £31.75 less means £19.20. In the absence of fresh evidence or new facts the decision of an appeals officer is final.
701.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the immediate payment of a widow's pension to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned was refused a widow's non-contributory pension in June 1983 because her means, assessed at £51.96 weekly, exceeded the limit of £36 then applicable to her, as a widow under 66 years with no qualified children. Her title to a contributory pension was also examined and disallowed because neither she herself nor her late husband had any Irish insurance record. She did, however, qualify for a widow's pension from Great Britain and this is being paid to her at present.
She reapplied for a widow's non-contributory pension on 13 May 1985 and the local social welfare officer was asked to furnish a report on her circumstances to see if she would now qualify for a pension (the means limit in her case has since been raised to £44 and will be further increased to £46 from 12 July next). When the officer's report is received a decision will be given on her claim and she will be notified without delay.
702.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in the payment of disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 15 January 1985 and payment was made from that date. A delay arose in issuing payment from 20 March 1985 because of an administrative error. The matter has now been rectified and all benefit payable has been issued up to 21 May 1985, the date of the latest medical evidence received.
703.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Laois.
The claim of the person concerned to unemployment assistance was disallowed on the grounds that she did not satisfy the condition of being available for work. She appealed against the disallowance and was invited to attend a hearing of her appeal on 22 May 1985. She did not attend the hearing and an appeals officer summarily decided that she was not available for work. She is being notified of the decision. She has continued to sign the unemployment register and her entitlement to unemployment assistance from 23 May 1985 will be considered in the light of any fresh evidence of her availability for work.
704.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a person (details supplied) in County Offaly is in receipt of the correct rate of unemployment assistance.
Following investigation of the unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned she was assessed with means of £7.30 weekly derived from the value of board and lodging in her parents home. She is accordingly in receipt of unemployment assistance at £22.65 weekly the appropriate rate £29.95 less means of £7.30.
705.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason the rate of unemployment benefit payable to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 8 was reduced in January 1985.
The rate of unemployment benefit payable to an applicant is reduced after 156 days of benefit if he does not satisfy the contribution condition of having 280 paid contributions in a seven year period.
The person concerned who is an applicant for unemployment benefit did not satisfy the contribution condition of having 280 paid contributions in the seven year period. Accordingly the rate of unemployment benefit payable was reduced from £61.40 weekly to £53.20 weekly from 27 December 1984 being the 157th day of his claim. Pay-related benefit at 56p weekly is payable in addition to flat rate unemployment benefit of £53.20 and combined weekly payments of £53.76 are continuing to be made as they become due.
706.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Carlow.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 15 April 1985. However, inquiries had to be made to establish that she fulfilled the condition of being available for work before her entitlement to unemployment benefit could be determined. These inquiries were recently completed and her claim was allowed at the appropriate weekly rate of £32.75. All arrears due from 15 April 1985 to 11 May 1985 were paid to her on 15 May 1985 after which she ceased to sign as unemployed.
707.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a person (details supplied) in County Galway is in receipt of the maximum rate of old age pension.
The person concerned is at present in receipt of old age pension at the reduced weekly rate of £41.50 which includes £3 over-eighty allowance and £3.20 living alone allowance. This is the rate to which he is entitled having regard to the recent assessment of his means consisting of the weekly value of capital, the disposal of a large part of which has not been accepted for old age pension purposes.
708.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a decision will be made on the case of a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned is at present in receipt of unemployment assistance at £12.75 weekly the appropriate rate £31.75 less means £19. Her means are derived from the value of board and lodgings in her father's home. She appealed against the amount of means assessed against her and an appeals officer also assessed her means at £19.
She applied for a reinvestigation of her means on 30 April 1985 and her case has been referred to a social welfare officer for inquiries. The assessment of her means will be reviewed in the light of the outcome and her rate of unemployment assistance will be determined accordingly.
709.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason pay-related benefit is not being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 6 March 1985 and qualified for payment at the weekly rate of £37.25, the maximum rate payable to a single woman.
Entitlement to pay-related benefit is based on the claimant's earnings for the 1983-84 tax year. Following the completion of investigations regarding her earnings for that year pay-related benefit was paid from 27 March 1985, nineteenth day of incapacity. All benefit payable has been issued to 7 May 1985, after which date she was certified fit to resume work.
710.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a pension book will be issued to a person (details supplied) in County Louth.
The person concerned has been awarded a widow's contributory pension at the weekly rate of £47.30 with effect from 26 April 1985. This is the maximum rate of pension payable to a widow over 80 years of age with no qualified children. A pension book with orders payable from that date was issued to the designated post office on 21 May 1985 for collection by her and she was notified accordingly.
Her late husband had been in receipt of an old age pension at the rate of £87.55 a week, which included an increase in respect of his wife, and payment of this pension was made to her for six weeks after his death on 8 March 1985, in place of widow's pension.
711.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when he will pay full disability benefit and arrears 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 awarded an invalidity pension from 21 February 1985, the Thursday following the completion of claim form. A pension book payable from 16 May 1985 issued to the designated post office of payment on 1 May 1985. Arrears in respect of the period from 21 February 1985 to 15 May 1985 less the amount of disability benefit paid during that period will be paid by payable order on 31 May 1985.
712.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is aware that a person (details supplied) in Dublin 18 who has paid a total of 489 contributions was refused a contributory old age pension on the basis that his yearly average fell to be calculated over a 30 year period from 1953 to 1983 and resulted in a yearly average of 16 contributions which is below the minimum 20 required and that his claim was rejected; if he will now review the manner in which claims of this nature are rejected despite the large number of contributions; and if he will make a general statement on the matter.
The general position in relation to this matter was dealt with in the replies to Questions Nos. 8, 10 and 11 on May 1985.
According to the records of the Department, the person concerned was insured in 1953 and had 19 paid contributions in that year. He did not again become insurable until 1 April 1974, as a result of the abolition of the remuneration limit. He had a total of 489 contributions in the relevant average test period, in his case from 5 January 1953 to 5 April 1983, giving him a yearly average of 16. He is not, therefore, qualified for the contributory old age pension because he has not reached the required average of 20.
713.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason an old age pension has not yet been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; the amount which will be paid; when this will be paid; and if retrospective payments will be made.
The person concerned has been awarded an old age contributory pension with effect from 5 April 1985 at the rate of £47.55 per week. She is in receipt of a widow's contributory pension at present and has been asked to return the book for that pension to the Department. When this is done an old age contributory pension book will be issued to the designated post office for collection by her. The arrears payable from 5 April 1985 will be issued to her by payable order as quickly as possible thereafter.
714.
Mr. Coughlan
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment assistance has been withdrawn from a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
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 the disallowance of his claim 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 submitted to an appeals officer for determination and his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the appeals officer's decision.
715.
Mr. Coughlan
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will reinvestigate the means assessed against an applicant for a non-contributory old age pension (details supplied) in County Donegal with a view to having a higher rate of pension granted.
It has been decided by an appeals officer that the person concerned is entitled to old age pension at the weekly rate of £77.95 from 19 March 1985 which includes £14.75 in respect of an adult dependant and £33.90 in respect of four dependent children. This is the rate to which he is entitled having regard to the assessment of his means consisting of half the weekly value of a holding. If the person concerned feels that his circumstances have deteriorated since then it is open to him to apply for an increase by notifying this Department to that effect.
716.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason full disability benefit for the period from November 1984 to date has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Clare.
The person concerned was last insurably employed in the United Kingdom. Under the EC Regulations on Social Security his claim for sickness benefit is, therefore, the responsibility of the Department of Health and Social Security, Newcastle-upon Tyne.
The UK authorities have been contacted in the matter and have advised that the claim has been paid up to 23 March 1985. Medical evidence for the period 26 March 1985 to 16 April 1985 is required by the Department of Health and Social Security before payment of benefit will be resumed and the UK authorities have explained this situation to the person concerned.
717.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry who has been signing at the Farranfore exchange for the past 14 weeks; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The person concerned has not applied for disability benefit but was a claimant to unemployment benefit until 7 February 1985 when he exhausted his entitlement to benefit. He was advised to apply for unemployment assistance some considerable time before that date but failed to make any claim until 12 February 1985.
His case was referred to a social welfare officer for investigation of his means but he was not available for interview on two occasions when the officer called to his home. However he was at home when the officer made a further call last week and arrangements are being made to refer his case this week to a deciding officer for determination.