asked the Minister for Health when arrears of disabled persons maintenance allowance will be paid by the North-Eastern Health Board to a person (details supplied) in County Louth, due for the period 4 October 1984 to 1 March 1985.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
55.
Payments of disabled persons maintenance allowance can be made only with effect from the date of application. Although having reached the age of 16 years on 4 October, 1984 the person in question did not apply for the allowance until 12 December. I have written to the North-Eastern Health Board regarding the payment of arrears in this case.
56.
Mr. Coughlan
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a decision will be given in relation to the unemployment assistance claim of a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and the cause of the delay in arriving at such a decision.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed from 6 February 1985 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 and an appeals officer on 10 June 1985 assessed his means as nil, effective from 6 February 1985. A qualification certificate to this effect was sent to his local office on 18 June 1985 but it has now come to light that the qualification certificate was mislaid in the post and a duplicate has been issued. He is accordingly entitled to unemployment assistance at £72.25 weekly, the appropriate rate payable in his case from 6 February 1985 to 2 July 1985, and to £76.95 weekly from 3 July 1985 to 8 July 1985 when he ceased to sign at his local office.
Any arrears due to him will be paid when the amount of supplementary welfare allowance advanced to him, pending the outcome of his appeal, is known.
57.
Mr. Coughlan
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
Entitlement to unemployment assistance is subject to the condition that an applicant must be available for and genuinely seeking employment. The person concerned claimed unemployment assistance on 15 July 1985 and his claim was disallowed on the grounds that he was not genuinely seeking employment. He recently appealed against the disallowance and arrangements are being made to have his case 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.
58.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a free telephone rental allowance will be granted to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry.
There is no record in the Department of receipt of an application for this allowance from the person concerned. An application form was issued to her on 21 October 1985. On receipt of the completed application form in the Department an early decision will be given in the case and she will be notified of the outcome.
59.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the disallowance of disability or disablement benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who has been declared by the medical referee to be 95 per cent fit for work, despite the fact that he is in hospital suffering from brucellosis.
The person concerned was paid disability benefit to 7 August 1985 after which date payment was disallowed following examination by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that he was capable of work. He appealed against the disallowance and arrangements have been made to have him examined by a different medical referee on 24 October 1985. His entitlement to benefit will then be reviewed in the light of the medical referee's report.
The person concerned has already been awarded a disablement gratuity in respect of the period from 2 September 1985 to 1 May 1986 based on a level of 15 per cent disablement for that period. He has been requested to forward details of any periods of hospitalisation subsequent to 8 August 1985 as he may be entitled to payment in respect of these periods.
62.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will regrant a free electricity allowance to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
One of the conditions for receipt of a free electricity allowance is that an eligible person must be living alone or with certain excepted persons. The person concerned is residing with her son, her daughter-in-law and their family. Her son is not a person who comes within the excepted categories for satisfying the living alone condition of the scheme. She does not, therefore, satisfy the conditions for award of the allowance and it could not be restored to her.
63.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the long delay in deciding the unemployment assistance appeal of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry who had his rate of unemployment assistance under the small farmers scheme substantially reduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Arising out of contentions made by the person in support of his appeal against the amount of means assessed against him, his case was returned to the social welfare officer for further inquiries.
The inquiries which were extensive were completed this week and arrangements are being made for referral of the case to an appeals officer for determination. The rate of unemployment assistance payable will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer. In the meantime he is in receipt of unemployment assistance at the weekly rate of £11.60 being the appropriate rate in his case of £84.65 less means of £73.05, derived from the profit from his holding.
64.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in the payment of a family income supplement to a person (details supplied) in County Louth; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Under legislation a family income suplement is not payable to a person while he is in receipt of unemployment benefit. The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 28 June 1985 and accordingly payment of the supplement was suspended. In September 1985 the social welfare officer reported that the person concerned had resumed work on 21 August 1985. Unfortunately due to an oversight payment of the supplement was not restored until recently.
The supplement book has now been returned to the person concerned payable from 19 September 1985. Orders for the period 22 August to 12 September 1985 have been withheld against an overpayment of the supplement which occurred earlier in the year when the person concerned was in receipt of unemployment benefit and the supplement concurrently. A fresh application from the person concerned for a supplement from 31 October 1985 has been received and examined. It has been decided that he is entitled to payment at the weekly rate of £11.75 from that date and the appropriate book will issue in due course. Any inconvenience caused is regretted.
65.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when maternity benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Louth.
Payment of maternity benefit is being made on a weekly basis to the person concerned since 23 September 1985. Payments will continue to issue on a weekly basis until 14 December 1985 when her entitlement to benefit ceases.
66.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when arrears of an old age pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) for the period from July to September 1985.
The person concerned is in receipt of old age contributory pension from 25 May 1979. His wife claimed pension on her own insurance on 18 June 1985. She was awarded the pension with effect from 14 June 1985, the Friday following her 66th birthday.
A pension book containing orders payable from 9 August 1985 was issued to the designated post office for collection by her on 30 July 1985 and she was notified accordingly. Arrears of old age contributory pension for the period from 14 June 1985 to 8 August 1985, less the amount of adult dependant's allowance paid to the husband in respect of her during this period, were issued to her by payable order on 10 September 1985.
67.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in the payment of unemployment benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Dublin.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 9 September 1985. Inquiries had to be made to establish her contribution record in the period 6 April 1983 to 5 April 1984 which governed her claim to unemployment benefit. These inquiries were recently completed and her claim was allowed at the appropriate weekly rate of £32.75. Weekly payments will commence and all arrears due will be paid on 25 October 1985 and further weekly payments will be made as they become due.
68.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will expedite payment of pay-related benefit due to a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
Entitlement to pay-related benefit with flat rate unemployment benefit is subject to the condition that the weekly sum of pay-related benefit, flat rate unemployment benefit and income tax rebate may not exceed 85 per cent of the net average weekly earning of an applicant. The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 2 April 1985 but withdrew her application. She returned to work for the period 19 May 1985 to 31 May 1985 when she was made redundant. She claimed unemployment benefit again on 4 June 1985 and her claim was allowed at the appropriate maximum weekly flat rate of £32.75 increased to £34.70 from 4 July 1985. The 85 per cent limit applicable on her claim has been calculated at £13.61 weekly and as the rate of flat rate unemployment benefit payable from 4 June 1985 exceeds this figure, pay-related benefit is not payable in this case.
Question No. 69 withdrawn.
70.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a decision has been reached in the occupational injury benefits appeal by a person (details supplied) in County Laois.
The person concerned claimed injury benefit from 15 July 1982. Following investigations which failed to confirm the alleged occupational accident, the claim was rejected. The claimant appealed against the decision on 11 April 1985 and named a further person who was alleged to have witnessed the incident concerned. The person who was interviewed by a social welfare officer indicated however that he had not witnessed the incident. Further inquiries are being made and in the event of the decision not being revised his appeal will be referred to the chief appeals officer for consideration.
71.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will reinvestigate an application for ESB allowance for a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny with a view to having a free electricity allowance granted.
One of the conditions for receipt of a free electricity allowance is that an eligible person must be living alone or with certain excepted persons. From the information available, the person concerned is residing with her daughter who is not a person who comes within the excepted categories for satisfying the living alone condition of the scheme. She does not, therefore, satisfy the conditions for award of the allowance and she was notified accordingly on 4 July 1985. If she now considers that she satisfies the conditions for receipt of the allowance it is open to her to make a fresh application. Application forms are available at post offices and ESB offices.
72.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an unemployment benefit claim will be processed and payment issued to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit from 17 October 1985 and his claim has been allowed at the weekly rate of £39.50, which is the maximum rate of unemployment benefit applicable to a single man. He is a postal claimant and arrangements have been made to issue, this week, an order for encashment at his local post office in respect of unemployment benefit due for week ending 22 October 1985. Weekly payments of £39.50 will continue to be made as they become due.
73.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a decision will be made on the appeal of a person (details supplied) in County Galway for payment of small holders assistance.
Arising out of contentions made by the person concerned in support of his recent appeal against the disallowance of his unemployment assistance claim his case has been 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 decision of the appeals officer.
74.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Carlow.
Entitlement to unemployment benefit is subject to the condition that a person must have not less than 26 contributions paid at the appropriate rate since entry into insurable employment. The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 17 July 1985. He does not satisfy the contribution condition for entitlement to unemployment benefit as he had only 19 weeks of employment which were insurable at a class providing cover against unemployment. He also had eight weeks of employment before he reached age 16 years but these are not insurable at a class providing cover against unemployment.
75.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment assistance has not been granted to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary who has been signing on for a period of time and has received no payment; and when this will be paid.
The entitlement of the person concerned to unemployment assistance could not be determined until inquiries, which were recently completed, had been made regarding his means. His claim was disallowed on the grounds that his means derived from profit from his holding exceeded the statutory limit. Notification of the disallowance has been issued to his local employment office who will inform him of the decision and of his right to appeal against it.
76.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the decision made on an appeal in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary who appealed against the decision to grant him a 10 per cent disablement benefit as a result of an injury; the re-adjustment which has been made on this percentage; when payment will be made to him; and the amount which will be paid.
The person concerned was reexamined by a medical referee on 11 February 1985 in connection with his disablement benefit claim. The extent of his disablement due to his injury was assessed at 10 per cent provisional in respect of the period from 16 December 1984 to 15 December 1985 and a disablement gratuity accordingly was paid on 20 February. The claimant appealed against the assessment on 12 August. Arrangements have been made for his further examination on 4 November when his benefit entitlement from 15 December will be reviewed. If the assessed degree of disablement to 15 December 1985 is not increased the appeal will then be referred to the chief appeals officer for decision.
77.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a serious attempt is not made to provide suitable shelter accommodation for the huge numbers of people who must now queue at Clonmel labour exchange; and when some attempt will be made to provide more acceptable conditions for those people who are unfortunate enough to be unemployed.
While there is a problem of claimants queueing at Clonmel employment exchange, the problem could be considerably reduced if claimants adhered to their allotted signing times.'
The possibility of providing additional public area space in the office, which is seen as the most practical solution to the problem, is under consideration by the Office of Public Works. Two suitable premises, which would accommodate the social welfare officers currently located at the employment exchange and thus provide more space for the public, have been identified and I am hopeful that an early relocation of staff can take place. The provision of sheltered queueing accommodation outside the office is not seen as offering a worthwhile long-term solution to the problem.
78.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will expedite the return of an old age pension book to a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
Following a recent re-investigation of her circumstances the means of the person concerned, derived from a farm holding and a small amount of capital, were assessed at £65.79 a week. This exceeds the limit of £46 applicable to her as a widow under 66 years of age with no qualified children. The widow's noncontributory pension which had been in payment to her was therefore terminated, with effect from 27 September 1985. She has been notified of this decision and of her right to appeal if she is dissatisfied.
79.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will restore prescribed relative allowance to a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
Following a review of prescribed relative allowance of the person concerned it has been discovered that she is no longer entitled to it on the grounds that the prescribed relative is not considered to be in a position to provide her with full time care and attention. On receipt of her prescribed relative allowance book, which has been requested, the case will be referred to a deciding officer and the person concerned will be notified of the decision in due course.