asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will grant a free phone rental allowance to persons (details supplied) in County Cavan in view of their changed circumstances.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
125.
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. In the case of the persons concerned, an application from the husband could not be allowed as his wife, with whom he was residing, was not permanently incapacitated as required by the scheme.
In the changed circumstances to which the Deputy refers, the allowance cannot be granted to the man's wife as she is not in receipt of a qualifying payment. If she were to qualify for an old age pension in her own right, in lieu of the adult dependant's allowance which her husband receives in respect of her, however, it would be possible to grant her the free telephone rental allowance. She has been invited to apply for this pension and her entitlement to free telephone rental allowance will be reconsidered if her application for pension is successful.
126.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will approve an application for unemployment assistance from a person (details supplied) in County Laois.
The person concerned does not satisfy the contribution condition for receipt of unemployment benefit, of having 26 paid or credited contributions in the governing contribution period 6 April 1983 to 5 April 1984, and his claim for unemployment benefit was, accordingly, disallowed. He then applied for unemployment assistance and his case was referred to a social welfare officer for investigation of his means. When the inquiries are completed his means will be assessed and his entitlement to unemployment assistance determined accordingly.