asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kerry has not been granted unemployment assistance.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
38.
Following a review, the unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed from 7 August 1985 on the grounds that his means, derived from the profit from his holding, exceeded the statutory limit. He appealed against the disallowance and arising from contentions made by him in support of his appeal, the case was returned to the social welfare officer for further inquiries and was then referred to an appeals officer for determination.
The appeals officer will hold an oral hearing in this case but the date and venue have not yet been decided. The person concerned will be informed when the arrangements for the hearing have been made. The entitlement of the person concerned to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.
39.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kerry is not in receipt of disability benefit.
Where a person has 26 but less than 156 contributions paid since entry into insurable employment, entitlement to disability benefit is limited to 52 weeks.
According to the records of the Department the person concerned has only 31 contributions paid on his behalf since entry into insurance. He claimed disability benefit from 14 March 1984 and was paid to 15 March 1985 after which date his 52 week entitlement became exhausted.
He again claimed disability benefit from 2 September 1985, but in order to requalify for payment of benefit it will be necessary for him to have at least a further 13 weeks of insurable employment for which the appropriate contributions are paid. According to the records of the Department he has no reckonable contributions paid since 16 March 1985.
40.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kerry has not been granted disability benefit.
Payment of disability benefit to the person concerned was disallowed for the statutory period of six weeks from 6 January 1986 as he failed to attend for examination by a medical referee of the Department.
He has submitted medical evidence indicating that he was unfit to attend for examination and accordingly payment of benefit has been restored from 6 January 1986. All disability benefit payable in respect of his claim has been issued to date.
41.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 7 was refused unemployment assistance or supplementary welfare benefit; and if he will review the case urgently.
Entitlement to unemployment assistance is dependent on an applicant being the holder of a qualification certificate, and to obtain a qualification certificate an applicant must satisfy certain conditions, including an asessment of means. The person concerned applied for unemployment assistance on 8 January 1986 and his case was referred to a social welfare officer for investigation of means.
When the inquiries are completed his means will be assessed and his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be determined accordingly. I understand that the person concerned applied at his local health centre for supplementary welfare allowance and was asked to return the following week for a decision on his application but he failed to do so.
42.
(Limerick West) asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a decision will be made in respect of an appeal concerning the refusal of unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick.
Following investigation, 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 against the disallowance of his claim in August 1985. However, due to an oversight, the appeal was not referred to the appeals officer. The matter has now been rectified and his case has been referred to an appeals officer for determination at the earliest available opportunity. The entitlement of the person concerned to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer. The delay in referring this case to an appeals officer is regretted.
43.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will be granted free telephone rental.
To qualify for 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. The person concerned applied for the allowance on 8 January 1986 and a local officer of the Department has been requested to establish the composition of her household. On receipt of his reply an early decision will be given in the case and the applicant will be notified of the outcome.
44.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Waterford received only £151 injury benefit despite the fact she was unemployed for seven weeks.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 3 December 1985. She was not entitled to benefit at the commencement of her claim as according to the records of the Department she had less than the minimum 1983-84, the contribution year governing her claim.
A statement was received from her employer indicating that she had 42 A1 contributions paid in 1983-84. These contributions qualified her for payment at the reduced rate of £33.65 and an arrears cheque for £151.43 was issued to her. Following further inquiries it was established that she had sufficient contributions paid in 1983-84 to qualify for benefit at the maximum rate appropriate to a married woman. All benefit payable to 20 January 1986, the date of the latest medical certificate received, has been issued to her.
45.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason maternity benefit was paid for only eight weeks to a person (details supplied) in County Cork and if he will now have all outstanding arrears paid to her.
The person concerned was awarded maternity benefit under the scheme for women in employment for a nine week period from 13 September 1985 to 14 November 1985 as her employer stated on her application for benefit that she was due to resume work on 14 November 1985 some five weeks before the end of the normal 14 week period of maternity leave for women in employment. It has now been ascertained that she did not return to work after her maternity leave and a cheque for £355.25, which is the balance of the maternity benefit due, issued to her on Tuesday 28 January 1986.
46.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cork was not granted free fuel; and if he is aware of the poor circumstances in which she had to reside and that she is a widow and lives alone.
It is understood from the Southern Health Board, which is responsible for the administration of the national fuel scheme in County Cork, that the application of the person concerned for a fuel allowance under the 1985-86 national fuel scheme has been disallowed on grounds of means. In addition to her maximum rate widow's contributory pension the applicant is also in receipt of disability benefit.
47.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the up-to-date position regarding the application of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry for unemployment assistance at the maximum rate; and if he will make a statement in this matter having regard to his wife's illness as a result of the long delay in deciding this case.
Arising out of contentions made by the person concerned in support of his appeal against the means assessment of £9.60, his case was referred to a social welfare officer for further inquiries.
When the inquiries, which will be completed as soon as possible, are completed, his case will be referred to an appeals officer for determination of his means. The rate of unemployment assistance payable to the person concerned will be reviewed in the light of the amount of means assessed against him. He is at present in receipt of unemployment assistance at £45.20 weekly being the appropriate maximum rate payable in his case of £54.80 less means of £9.60.
Weekly payments will continue to be made as they become due.