(Limerick West) asked the Minister for Social Welfare if regular payments of disability benefit will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
67.
Due to an administrative error there was a delay in issuing benefit to the person concerned for the period from 19 December 1985 to 1 January 1986. Payment for this period was issued on 10 January 1986. All benefit payable to 5 February 1986, the date of the latest medical certificate received, has been issued.
68.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a decision will be made in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan who applied for unemployment assistance.
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 assessment of means. The person concerned applied for unemployment assistance and the case was referred to a social welfare officer for investigation of his means. The social welfare officer has interviewed the person concerned and has requested certain documentation from his solicitor but has not so far received it. On receipt of the requested information, the social welfare officer will complete his report and the means of the person concerned will be assessed and his entitlement to unemployment assistance determined accordingly.
69.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a decision will be made on an unemployment assistance appeal, which was made last December by a person (details supplied) in Country Cork.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed on the grounds that by failing to furnish particulars of his means he failed to show that his means did not exceed the statutory limit. He appealed against the disallowance and indicated a willingness to disclose his means. The case was, accordingly, returned to the social welfare officer, who will complete the inquiries as soon as possible. When the inquiries are completed the papers will be submitted to an appeals officer for determination of means. The entitlement of the person concerned to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the outcome.
70.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position in regard to the claim for unemployment assistance of a person (details supplied) in County Laois; and when a decision will be given on his claim.
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 assessment of means. The person concerned applied for unemployment assistance and the case was referred to a social welfare officer for investigation of means. The inquiries, which were extensive were completed this week and arrangements are being made to refer the papers to a deciding officer for determination of means. The entitlement of the person concerned to unemployment assistance will be determined in the light of the means assessed against him.
71.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position with regard to an application for disability benefit from a person (details supplied) in County Galway, and if he will endeavour to have this benefit paid as quickly as possible.
It has not been possible to trace a benefit claim for the person concerned. If the RSI number can be quoted this would enable the claim to be identified and the information sought by the Deputy to be supplied.
72.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position with regard to the appeal of a person (details supplied) in County Galway who is only in receipt of £31.10 unemployment assistance and who should be entitled to at least £50; and when the appeal will be heard.
A claimant for unemployment benefit who is a landholder but does not satisfy the contribution condition of having 78 paid contributions in a three year period is not entitled to unemployment benefit if the income from his holding exceeds £2 daily. The person concerned, who is a landholder, does not satisfy that contribution condition and inquiries are being made to establish whether the profit from his holding exceeds £2 daily. His entitlement to unemployment benefit will be determined when the social welfare officer's inquiries are completed.
The person concerned claimed unemployment assistance and his claim was put into payment on the basis of an existing qualification certificate with recorded means of £5.50. Weekly payments are continuing to be made as they become due. It is anticipated that the social welfare officer will complete his inquiries shortly and the means of the person concerned will be reassessed accordingly. The delay in this case is regretted.
73.
Mr. Coughlan
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason there has been such an inordinate delay in dealing with an application for unemployment benefit from a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will now outline his Department's decision in the matter.
Entitlement to unemployment benefit is subject to the condition that a claimant must have at least 26 contributions paid at a class which provides cover against unemployment. The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 4 June 1985 and again on 31 December 1985. According to the Department's records she entered insurable employment on 1 October 1984 and inquiries had to be made to establish whether her employment from 1 October 1984 to 30 May 1985 was insurable at a contribution class providing cover against unemployment. These inquiries, which were very extensive, have now been completed and her claim has been allowed at the appropriate maximum weekly rates of £37.25 from 4 June 1985 and £39.50 from 4 July 1985. She is not at present in touch with her local office but arrangements are being made to pay arrears of flat rate unemployment benefit of £511.57 to her this week.
74.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in having a person (details supplied) in County Waterford transferred from disability benefit to an invalidity pension.
The person concerned was examined on 28 January 1986 by a medical referee who considered that he was permanently incapable for work. Consequently, a form on which to claim invalidity pension was forwarded to the person concerned on 5 February 1986 and on its return duly completed, the claim will be dealt with immediately.
75.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an appeal for unemployment assistance will be heard for a person (details supplied) in County Carlow.
Entitlement to unemployment assistance is subject to the condition that a person must be available for, and genuinely seeking work. The person concerned exhausted her entitlement to 390 days unemployment benefit on 15 April 1985 and she was paid unemployment assistance from 16 April 1985 to 3 December 1985. Arising from her failure, without just cause, to avail herself of a reasonable opportunity to receive training provided by AnCO, her claim was disallowed from 4 December 1985 to 15 January 1986. On expiry of the disallowance period her claim, following review, was again disallowed from 16 January 1986 on the grounds that she was not genuinely seeking work. She lodged an appeal against the disallowance on 19 January 1986. Arrangements are being made to have her case determined by an appeals officer at the earliest available opportunity. Her entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.
76.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Carlow.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 17 January 1986 and the claim was allowed at the appropriate maximum rate, in her case, of £39.50 weekly from that date. All arrears of unemployment benefit due were paid on 31 January 1986. Further weekly payments of £39.50 will continue to be made as they become due.
77.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Carlow is not being paid unemployment assistance for his wife.
The person concerned has been in continuous receipt of unemployment assistance since 9 January 1985 at the appropriate rate of unemployment assistance which includes an increase in respect of an adult dependant and one child dependant. Where, however, a person has means, the appropriate maximum weekly rate of unemployment assistance payable is reduced by the amount of means assessed and this applied in this case. Following reinvestigation of the unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned his means, with effect from 13 February 1986, were assessed at £33 weekly, derived from the benefit from his wife's earnings. He is, accordingly, entitled to unemployment assistance at £34.05 weekly, being the appropriate maximum rate payable in his case of £67.05 less means of £33. Further weekly payments will continue to be made as they become due.
78.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an appeal for unemployment assistance will be heard for a person (details supplied) in County Carlow.
Following re-investigation of the unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned he was assessed with means of £5.75 weekly derived from self-employment. He appealed against the means assessment and on 18 November 1985 an appeals officer also assessed his means at £5.75 weekly, and he was informed of this decision on 28 November 1985. The person concerned then requested an oral hearing of his case and an appeals officer decided to grant him such a hearing. He will be informed as soon as possible of the venue and time of the hearing. The rate of unemployment assistance payable to the person concerned will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.
79.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if, in view of the obvious hardship involved he will review the disablement benefit claim of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 14; and if it is proposed to amend the regulations to cover people in such circumstances.
The person concerned claimed disablement benefit on 16 December 1985 in respect of an accident at work on 20 August 1984. Under section 43 of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1981, one of the qualifying conditions for disablement benefit is that the employment concerned be insurable for occupational injury benefits. The social insurance contributions which the person concerned had paid as a company director since 1979 were at class K. This covers the health contribution, the youth employment levy and the temporary income levy only and does not contain any element for social welfare benefits. The disablement benefit claim was disallowed accordingly. An appeal has now been lodged against the decision. There are no proposals to amend the statutory provisions concerned.
80.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in County Clare will be paid his pay-related benefit which he applied for ten weeks ago.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 6 December 1985 and his claim was allowed at the appropriate maximum weekly rate, applicable in his case, of £39.50. Pay-related benefit is calculated on the basis of reckonable earnings during the relevant income tax year. The relevant income tax year in this case was the period 6 April 1983 to 5 April 1984 and inquiries had to be made to establish his earnings during this period. The inquiries were recently completed and based on these earnings he is entitled to pay-related benefit of £5.24 weekly from 27 December 1985. Arrangements have been made to pay all arrears of pay-related benefit due to him this week and further combined weekly payments of unemployment benefit and pay-related benefit, amounting to £44.74, will continue to be made as they become due.