asked the Minister for Social Welfare when social welfare benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
49.
Entitlement to unemployment benefit is subject to the condition that a person must have at least 26 contributions paid or credited in the governing contribution year.
According to the Department's records the person concerned did not satisfy the contribution conditions during the contribution period 6 April 1983 to 5 April 1984 which governed entitlement to unemployment benefit on her claim of 30 April 1985. Her claim was accordingly disallowed. She has been informed of this decision and she continues to sign the unemployment register for credited contributions.
50.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an unmarried mother's allowance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and the reason for the delay in payment.
The person concerned was awarded an unmarried mother's allowance with effect from 7 March 1985, the Thursday following the birth of her child. An allowance book with orders payable from 6 June 1985 was sent to the designated post office on 5 June for collection by her and she was notified accordingly.
Arrears for the period from 7 March 1985 to 5 June 1985, after adjustments for unemployment benefit and supplementary welfare allowance paid to her in the same period, will be sent direct to the claimant shortly by means of a payable order.
51.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an unmarried mother's allowance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and the reason for the delay in payment.
The person concerned has been awarded an unmarried mother's allowance with effect from 11 April 1985, the Thursday following receipt of her claim. An allowance book with orders payable from 13 June 1985 has been sent to her. Arrears for the period 11 April 1985 to 12 June 1985, after deduction for supplementary welfare allowance paid to her in the same period, will be sent to her shortly by means of a payable order.
Before giving a decision on the claim it had to be investigated and a report obtained from a local social welfare officer.
52.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 1 has not received unemployment assistance or benefit; and the arrears which are due to her.
The person concerned has claimed unemployment benefit and disability benefit intermittently since 27 September 1984. Her entitlement to unemployment benefit on her claim of 2 April 1985 could not be determined until inquiries were made to establish whether she fulfilled the conditions of being available for, capable of and genuinely seeking work. These inquiries were recently completed and her claim has been allowed at the combined rate of unemployment benefit and pay-related benefit £37.61, reducing to £31.19 from the 15th day of her claim on 25 May 1985.
Combined weekly payments of £31.19 commenced this week and, when the amount of supplementary welfare allowanc which she received during the period 2 April 1985 to 5 June 1985 by way of advances pending a decision on her case is known, the balance of any arrears due will be paid. Further weekly payments will continue as they become due.
However, due to an outstanding balance of an overpayment assessed against her in respect of periods in February 1985 during which she claimed unemployment benefit and disability benefit concurrently arrangements are being made to effect recovery of the overpayment by deductions from her weekly unemployment payments.
53.
(Limerick West) asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will approve the payment of unemployment benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick in view of the fact that he has been refused disability benefit and invalidity pension.
When the person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 22 May 1985, he furnished the incorrect RSI number. Accordingly inquiries had to be made to ascertain his correct RSI number. These inquiries have now been completed and his claim has been allowed from 22 May 1985 at the weekly rate of £117.85. All arrears due will be paid next week.
54.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny who applied for unemployment benefit on 22 April 1985 will receive payment.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit from 24 April 1985. However, her entitlement to unemployment benefit could not be determined until inquiries had been made to establish that she fulfilled the condition of being available for employment.
These inquiries were recently completed and her claim was allowed at £30.90 weekly being the appropriate rate in her case. All arrears due will be paid this week and further weekly payments will be made as they become due.
55.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny will receive arrears due from 21 February 1985.
A payable order for arrears of social assistance allowance, after adjustments for supplementary welfare allowance paid to her by the South Eastern Health Board and maternity allowance paid to her by the Department, has now been sent to the person concerned.
56.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny will receive payment of a non-contributory pension granted to him and his free travel pass due since he reached his 66th birthday.
It has been decided that the person concerned is entitled to an old age pension at the weekly rate of £37.30 from 12 April 1985. This is the rate to which he is entitled having regard to the assessment of his means comprising of half the weekly value of his British retirement pension and capital. The appropriate pension book issued on 11 June 1985. The wife of the person concerned is at present in receipt of unemployment benefit and consequently her husband is not being paid an adult dependant allowance in respect of her, as both payments are not made concurrently. A free travel pass issued on 11 June 1985.
57.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny who has been signing for five weeks will receive unemployment benefit.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 15 April 1985. He was still employed for two days weekly and accordingly his claim was allowed on the basis that as a systematic short time worker he was subject to the condition that the number of days worked and the number of days in respect of which unemployment benefit was payable could not exceed five in the calendar week. Payment of unemployment benefit for three days weekly was made to him in respect of the period 15 April to 5 June 1985.
It recently came to light that he left his short time employment on 27 April 1985 and inquiries had to be made to establish the reason for termination of his employment. These inquiries were recently completed and his claim was allowed at the appropriate full weekly rate of £37.25 from 29 April 1985. An adjustment of unemployment benefit to cover the period from 29 April 1985 to 5 June 1985 will be paid to him this week. Further weekly payments of £37.25 will continue to be paid to him as they fall due.
58.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny will receive arrears due from August 1984.
A payable order for arrears of social assistance allowance, after deductions for supplementary welfare allowance paid to her by the South-Eastern Health Board, has now been sent to the person concerned.
59.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will give the correct answer to Parliamentary Question No. 642 of Wednesday 5 June 1985, which requested the breakdown details of the means assessed against a person (details supplied) in County Laois, not the total amount of means assessed.
The earlier question referred to from the Deputy asked details of the means assessed against a person. The reply stipulated that the amount of the means was assessed at £28.76 and indicated that the means consisted of an assessment of one half of the weekly value of the pensioner's holding. The income from the holding was assessed at the net income after various items of expenditure were deducted from the items of gross income. A summary of these items is as follows:
|
Gross yearly income from holding comprising income from land let, creamery receipts and sale of stock |
£7,861.91 |
|
Less expenses, including manure, feeding, fuel and transport, vet erinary and other expenses and his sons labour |
£4,644.42 |
|
£3,217.49 |
|
|
Taken as |
£3,200.00 |
A statutory deduction of £104 in respect of each of two dependent children reduces this figure to £2,992 which represents the joint means of the pensioner and his wife. The pensioner, is assessed with half this sum, i.e.,£1,496 a year or £28.76 a week.
60.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny will receive unemployment assistance.
The person concerned applied for unemployment assistance on 11 March 1985 and pending an investigation of his means by a social welfare officer his claim was put into payment on the basis of a qualification certificate issued to him in 1979 which recorded him as having nil means.
The investigation revealed that he had means derived from self employment and benefit from his wife's earnings. The deciding officer determined that the means exceeded the statutory limit and accordingly his unemployment assistance claim was disallowed.
He appealed and the case has been referred to an appeals officer for determination. His entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.
61.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny whose sole income is supplementary welfare allowance, is not receiving deserted wife's benefit.
One of the conditions for the receipt of a deserted wife's payment is that the woman's husband must have left her of his own volition.
The deciding officer held that this condition was not satisfied in the case of the person concerned and disallowed her claim. Notification of this decision and of her right to appeal against it if she is dissatisfied has been sent to her.
62.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason payment of social welfare assistance has been discontinued in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny as she is a deserted wife and has no means or maintenance to support herself and her child.
Two of the conditions for receipt of a deserted wife's payment are that a husband must have left his wife of his own volition and that she must make reasonable efforts within the means available to her to trace her husband and to prevail on him to contribute to her support and maintenance.
The deciding officer held that these conditions were not satisfied by the person concerned and disallowed her claim on 7 January 1985. She was notified to this effect and of her right to appeal if dissatisfied with it. No appeal was made.
If she is in need it is open to her to apply for supplementary welfare allowance to the community welfare officer at the local health centre.
63.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a travel pass was removed from a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan who is aged 70 years.
A free travel pass was first issued to the person concerned in June 1981 when he was awarded a contributory pension. In February 1983 he applied for a free travel pass and in error a second pass was issued to him. When this came to light recently he was requested to return one of the passes. The pass which was issued to him in 1983 was subsequently returned and destroyed.
If the person concerned is no longer in possession of the pass issued to him in 1981 he should complete the replacement pass form which has been issued to him. On receipt of the completed form in the Department the appropriate action will be taken without delay.
64.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan will be paid arrears of disability benefit.
All disability benefit payable to 29 April 1985, after which date she was certified as fit to resume work, has now been issued to the person concerned.
65.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 7 is in receipt of only £16 per week unemployment assistance.
The person concerned reapplied for unemployment assistance on 23 May 1985 and his claim was allowed at the weekly rate of £20.20 being the appropriate rate £30.90 less means £10.70, derived from the value of board and lodgings in his parents' home.
He was paid unemployment assistance at the rate of £16.85 the week following his reapplication, in respect of a period of five days payment due to him. He has since been in receipt of the full weekly rate of £20.20 due in his case.
66.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 7 is in receipt of only £22.30 unemployment assistance.
The person concerned is at present in receipt of unemployment assistance at £22.25 weekly the appropriate rate £64.60 less means £42.35. His means are derived from the benefit of his wife's earnings.
He recently requested a review of his means and his case has been referred to a social welfare officer for inquiries. When these inquiries are completed his means will be reassessed and his rate of unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the amount of means assessed against him.
67.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the nonpayment of social welfare assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford despite the fact that medical certificates have been submitted.
Payment of disability benefit to the person concerned was disallowed from 26 April 1985 following examination by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that she was capable of work. She has not indicated to the Department that she wishes to appeal the decision to disallow payment and she has submitted a final medical certificate indicating that she was fit to resume work on 3 May 1985.
68.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Waterford has been refused unemployment assistance.
The person concerned was in receipt of unemployment benefit up to 19 May 1985 when he exhausted his entitlement to 390 days benefit. He applied for unemployment assistance on 23 May 1985 and 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 determined accordingly.
69.
Mr. Coughlan
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in making payment of unemployment benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
Entitlement to unemployment benefit is subject to the condition that a person must have at least 26 contributions paid or credited in the governing contribution year.
According to the Department's records there were no contributions paid or credited for the person concerned during the period 6 April 1983 to 5 April 1984, which governed entitlement to unemployment benefit on her claim of 17 April 1985. She informed her local office that she was employed for the full year in question and inquiries are being made to ascertain whether contributions at the appropriate class were paid on her behalf during that year. When these inquiries have been completed her claim for unemployment benefit will be determined.
70.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a decision will be made regarding the request of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 7 for assistance towards the cost of a phone installation which was the subject of a previous parliamentary question in Deputy Gregory-Independent's name.
It is understood from the Eastern Health Board, which is responsible for the administration of the supplementary welfare allowances scheme in the Dublin area, that the appeals officer has determined that a sum of £30 may be paid to the person concerned as assistance towards the cost of installing a telephone. The applicant is being informed that a cheque to cover the payment may be collected at her local health centre.