asked the Minister for Health if he will grant a disabled person's maintenance allowance to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
163.
The person referred to by the Deputy was granted a disabled person's maintenance allowance at the maximum rate by the South Eastern Health Board with effect from 8 September 1985.
164.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will extend the free fuel vouchers to single persons in receipt of unemployment assistance.
Under the terms of the urban fuel scheme administered by local authorities in 17 cities and towns (including Dublin city), unemployment assistance recipients with dependants have automatic entitlement to fuel vouchers. Recipients of short term social welfare payments such as unemployment assistance are, in general, excluded from the national fuel scheme administered by the health boards. I would hope to rationalise these schemes when circumstances permit but the scope for extending the coverage of the schemes to categories who are not covered under either scheme is limited in view of the significant costs involved.
165.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11 who has been on pay-related benefit at £107.05 per week has been told that it will be reduced to £44.80 per week.
The person concerned was in receipt of benefit at the weekly rate of £107.05, being £70.25 flat rate unemployment benefit and £36.80 pay-related benefit, when he exhausted maximum entitlement to benefit of 390 days on 12 June 1985. He then applied for unemployment assistance and was assessed with means of £19.80.
He is accordingly entitled to unemployment assistance at the weekly rate of £44.80 being the appropriate rate in his case of £64.60 less means of £19.80, increased to £49.05 from 3 July 1985, that is, £68.85 less means of £19.80. He appealed against the amount of the means assessment and an oral hearing of his case took place on 21 October 1985. The rate of unemployment assistance payable to him will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer. Weekly payments will continue to be made as they become due.
166.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11 has had her unemployment assistance reduced from £27.90 to £17.60 and has been told that it will be reduced further to £16.60.
The person concerned was in receipt of unemployment assistance at £27.80 weekly being the appropriate rate in her case of £32.80 less means of £5 up to 3 June 1985 when it came to light that a further increase in means amounting to £15.20 were derived from the value of board and lodgings in her parent's home.
Her unemployment assistance claim was rerated at the appropriate correct rate from 27 July 1983 and an overpayment occurred which the person concerned agreed to refund by deductions of £1 weekly from the amount due to her. Deductions to recover the overpayment commenced on 4 June 1985. She was, therefore, entitled to unemployment assistance at the weekly rate of £17.60 from 4 June 1985 being the appropriate rate in her case of £32.80 less means of £15.20, increased to £19.75 from 3 July 1985, being the appropriate rate £34.95 less means £15.20. The sum of £1 weekly was deducted from both these weekly rates to offset against the overpayment. A total of £9 was deducted when she ceased signing at her local office on 30 July 1985.
167.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason the supplementary allowance of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11 has been reduced from £80.25 per week to £52.45 per week as he has a wife and four children.
The person concerned was in receipt of supplementary welfare allowance at the rate of £80.25 per week pending a decision on his application for unemployment assistance.
His unemployment assistance application was disallowed and he subsequently appealed and arising from contentions raised in the appeal the case was returned to the social welfare officer for further inquiries. Following completion of inquiries a deciding officer revised a previous decision and assessed his means with effect from 16 October 1984 at £35.95 weekly derived from self-employment.
He was accordingly entitled to unemployment assistance at the weekly rate of £47.40 from 16 October 1984 increased to £52.40 weekly from 3 July 1985. Payment commenced on 3 July 1985 and arrears due from 12 October 1984 were refunded to the health board in lieu of supplementary welfare allowance advanced to him.
However, in addition to the payment of unemployment assistance at £52.40 weekly from 3 July 1985 he was also in receipt of upplementary welfare allowance of £32.80 weekly from 6 July 1985. The rate of supplementary welfare allowance in payment was reduced to £25.55 per week from 5 October 1985 because one of his children commenced employment. This leaves him with a combined weekly income from unemployment assistance and supplementary welfare allowance of £77.95.
He appealed the means assessment and it recently came to light that the appeal was mislaid in the post. Arrangements have been made with his local office for the issue of a duplicate appeal form. When the completed appeal form is returned his case will be referred to an appeals officer and his claim will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.
168.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the rate at which a person (details supplied) in Dublin 13 is entitled to be paid separate payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The person concerned is entitled to receive the increase in her husband's unemployment benefit paid in respect of her and four child dependants. She is, accordingly, in receipt of weekly payments of £62.90.
169.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment assistance was withdrawn from a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan; and when it will be restored.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed on the grounds that by failing to disclose 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 the case was returned to the social welfare officer to afford him another opportunity to co-operate in the investigation of his means but he failed to do so. His case has recently been referred to an appeals officer. His entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the appeals officer's decision.
170.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will expedite the payment of unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
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.
If he is dissatisfied with this decision, it is open to him to appeal and his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the appeals officer's decision. A form for this purpose can be obtained at his local office.
171.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will expedite an unemployment assistance appeal for a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
The person concerned was in receipt of unemployment assistance at £17 weekly, the appropriate rate £33.80 less means £16.80, derived from the value of board and lodging on his father's holding. He has ceased to sign at his local office since 30 September 1985. He has not appealed against the amount of means assessed against him and it is open to him to do so by completing an appeal form obtainable at his local office.
172.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position regarding the appeal of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry against the decision to discontinue payment of his unemployment assistance under the small farmers' scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed from 23 January 1985 on the grounds that his means derived from the profit from his holding and from the value of capital exceeded the statutory limit. He appealed but an appeals officer also decided that his means exceeded the statutory limit.
However, following a reinvestigation of his means in May this year he was assessed with means of £61.10 weekly. He is currently in receipt of unemployment assistance at £5.95 weekly the appropriate rate £67.05 less means £61.10. He has not appealed against this decision.
173.
Mr. Cowen
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in County Offaly will be called for an examination in respect of her appeal for the restoration of disability benefit payable to her; or the outcome of the examination if she has already been called.
Payment of disability benefit to the person concerned was disallowed from 24 January 1985 following examination by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that she was capable of work. She appealed against the disallowance and in this connection she was examined by a different medical referee on 7 March 1985 who also expressed the opinion that she was capable of work.
On 8 May 1985 she was forwarded an appeal form on which to set out the facts to support her appeal. A final certificate was received dated 1 July 1985 and as the appeal form was not returned to the Department the appeal was withdrawn on 27 August 1985.