asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a double week's payment will be made to persons on social welfare at Christmas next; if so, if he will list the categories of social welfare recipients who will receive the double week, and those who will not receive it; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
172.
A decision on this matter will be announced in the next few days and a statement will be issued by me giving the details.
173.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a person (details supplied) in County Wexford will have increased payments of unemployment assistance in view of the fact he has nil means.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 9 September 1985 but as he did not fulfil the condition of having 26 contributions, paid or credited, in the governing contribution period, his claim was disallowed. He applied for unemployment assistance on 7 October 1985 and his case has been 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 will be determined in the light of the amount of means assessed against him. It is understood that he is in receipt of supplementary welfare allowance pending the outcome of his unemployment assistance claim.
174.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kerry does not qualify for unemployment assistance.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed on the grounds that his means, derived from the profit from his holding-exceeded the statutory limit. He appealed but an appeals officer also decided that his means exceeded the statutory limit. The person concerned has not been in touch with the local office since October 1983 but it is open to him to reapply for unemployment assistance and have his means investigated. A form for this purpose may be obtained at his local office.
175.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kerry is not in receipt of unemployment assistance.
The person concerned was in receipt of unemployment benefit up to 16 September 1985 when he exhausted his entitlement to 390 days benefit. His entitlement to unemployment assistance could not be determined until his means had been investigated. The inquiries, which were extensive, were recently completed and in the light of the social welfare officer's report the person concerned was assessed with nil means with effect from 17 September 1985. He is accordingly entitled to unemployment assistance at the maximum weekly rate of £86.65. Payment will commence this week when all arrears due will also be paid. Weekly payments will then continue to be made as they become due.
176.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a decision will be made on an application for a non-contributory old age pension by a person (details supplied) in County Limerick.
The old age pension entitlements of the person concerned are at present under investigation. On completion of inquiries the case will be referred to a deciding officer for decision. The claimant will be notified of the outcome without delay.
177.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will review the case of a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath who has been refused unemployment benefit for six weeks even though he submitted true and substantial evidence in support of his case for leaving his employment.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 13 September 1985. Following inquiries his claim was disallowed for a period of six weeks from his last date of employment on 12 September 1985 on the grounds that he had voluntarily left his employment without just cause. He appealed against the disallowance and he attended an oral hearing on 7 October 1985 but the appeals officer also disallowed his claim for a period of six weeks from 12 September 1985. The decision of the appeals officer is final and can only be altered in the light of new evidence or fresh facts.
The claim of the person concerned was allowed from 26 October 1985 at the weekly unemployment benefit rate of £85 which is the maximum rate appropriate in his case. Further weekly payments of unemployment benefit will continue to be made as they become due.
178.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if unemployment assistance is payable to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo.
Following re-investigation, the unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed on the grounds that his means exceed the statutory limit. He appealed against the disallowance but an appeals officer also assessed him with means exceeding the statutory limit. He recently requested a review of his means and his case was referred to a social welfare officer for investigation. These inquiries have now been completed and arrangements are being made to have his means assessed by a deciding officer as soon as possible. His entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the means assessed against him.
179.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if unemployment assistance payment will be restored to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo.
Following a re-investigation of her unemployment assistance claim the means of the person concerned were assessed with effect from 4 September 1985 at £9.70 weekly, derived from capital and from a one-third intestacy share in land. She is, accordingly, in receipt of unemployment assistance at £24.10 weekly, being the appropriate rate in her case of £33.80 less means of £9.70. She appealed against the amount of means assessed and the case has been referred 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 which will be made at the first available opportunity.
180.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a contributory pension is payable to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo.
One of the qualifying conditions for the receipt of a contributory old age pension requires the claimant to have a yearly average of at least 20 reckonable contributions from 5 January 1953 or from his year of entry into insurance, whichever is the later, to the end of the last complete contribution year before he reaches pension age.
The Department's records show that the person concerned had no reckonable contributions from 5 January 1953 and therefore, he does not qualify for a contributory old age pension. The reduced rate contributions paid in respect of his permanent and pensionable public service employment are not reckonable for contributory old age pension or retirement pension.
181.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if unemployment assistance is payable to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed on the grounds that his means derived from the profit from his holding and from the value of capital exceeded the statutory limit. His claim was recently reviewed and, as following reinvestigation the means assessed against him still exceeded the statutory limit, his claim continues to be disallowed. He was notified of the decision and of his right to appeal against it, if dissatisfied.
182.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo.
The person concerned applied for unemployment assistance on 2 September 1985 but as papers relating to his claim were mislaid for some weeks in postal transit, the case was not referred to a social welfare officer for investigation of his means until 25 October 1985.
The social welfare officer will carry out the investigation as soon as possible and the entitlement of the person concerned to unemployment assistance will be determined in the light of the means assessed against him. It is understood that he is at present in receipt of supplementary welfare allowance.
183.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position regarding the payment of unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo.
The person concerned is in receipt of unemployment assistance at the weekly rate of £28.60 being the appropriate rate in his case of £67.05 less means of £38.45, derived from the profit from his holding. His case was recently referred to the social welfare officer for reinvestigation of his means. When these inquiries are completed, the rate of unemployment assistance payable to the person concerned will be reviewed in the light of the amount of means assessed against him.
184.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the decision, if any, which has been made on the application of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny for unemployment assistance where an appeal was lodged some time ago.
The appeal of the person concerned against the means assessment of £39.10 weekly derived from the letting value of land and from the value of capital has now been dealt with by an appeals officer who has reduced the means assessment to £17.10 weekly with effect from 26 June 1985 and £9.95 weekly with effect from 4 October, 1985.
The person concerned is, accordingly, entitled to payment of unemployment assistance at £37.70 weekly being the appropriate rate in his case of £54.80 less means £17.10, from 26 June 1985, increasing from 3 July 1985 to £41.25 being the appropriate rate of £58.35 less means of £17.10, and increasing to £48.40 being the appropriate rate of £58.35 less means of £9.95 from 4 October, 1985. All adjusting arrears due to him as a result of the reduction in the means assessment will be paid to him this week and weekly payments of £48.40 will continue to be made as they become due.
185.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare how his Department can justify the decision to refuse the claim by a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny for a deserted wite's allowance; and if he will give a detailed explanation as to how such a decision was arrived at.
One of the conditions for the receipt of a deserted wife's payment is that a person's husband must have left her on his own volition. The claim of the person concerned to a deserted wife's payment was disallowed because the deciding officer held that this condition was not satisfied in her case.
The claimant appealed against the decision and an oral hearing of her case was held on 8 August 1985. Based on the available evidence, the appeals officer considered that the separation was caused by a mutual breakdown of the marriage and he accordingly upheld the decision of the deciding officer.
The appeals officer's decision is final and conclusive and can only be reviewed in the light of new facts or fresh evidence being made available to him since the appeal hearing. Should the person concerned wish to make any further statement or submit any other evidence she should forward it and it will be referred to the appeals officer for consideration.