asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 12 who applied for unemployment assistance in October 1985, has not yet been told if his application is successful despite several inquiries and if she will now confirm that the matter has been resolved since the person concerned now has £900 of arrears of mortgage.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
64.
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. When the person concerned claimed unemployment assistance the case was referred to a social welfare officer. Following the completion of the social welfare officer's inquiries, a deciding officer assessed the person concerned with means of £67.30 weekly derived from self-employment. He is, accordingly, entitled to unemployment assistance at £6.55 weekly, being the appropriate maximum rate payable in his case of £73.85 less means of £67.30. Arrangements have been made with his local office to put the claim into payment this week.
Subsequent to the issue of the applicant's qualification certificate further information came to light regarding his self-employment which may have a bearing on the means assessed against him and consequently the papers were returned to the social welfare officer for further inquiries. Every effort is being made to have the inquiries completed with the minimum possible delay. When these inquiries are completed his means will be reassessed and the rate of unemployment assistance payable to him will be reviewed accordingly.
65.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when she will pay unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
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. If the person concerned wishes to have his entitlement to unemployment assistance reviewed and if he is willing to co-operate in the disclosure of his means it is open to him to inform his local employment office accordingly. His case would then be investigated by a social welfare officer and his entitlement to unemployment assistance determined accordingly. The person concerned has not been in touch with his local office since 18 October 1983.
66.
(Limerick West) asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will expedite the decision with regard to an application for unemployment assistance from a person (details supplied) in County Limerick.
The person concerned applied for a qualification certificate on 25 November 1985 and following an investigation, his means were assessed at £39.50 weekly, derived from the profit from his holding. The means assessment would entitle him to unemployment assistance at £15.30 weekly, being the appropriate maximum rate payable in his case of £54.80 less means of £39.50. He has not signed at his local office since 25 November 1985. If, however, he wishes to apply for unemployment assistance it is open to him to do so.
67.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a retirement pension book will be made available to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny.
The person concerned claimed a retirement pension on 13 December 1985. He was awarded the pension at maximum rate with effect from 26 September 1985, i.e. the Thursday following his retirement. A retirement pension book containing orders payable from 13 February 1986 was issued to the designated post office on 10 February 1986 for collection by him and he was notified accordingly. Arrears of retirement pension from 26 September 1985 to 12 February 1986, less the amount of unemployment benefit and pay-related benefit received by him during that period, will be issued to him by payable order within the next week.
68.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will now amend the regulations so that a prescribed relative's allowance is not withheld from a person (details supplied) solely on the grounds that she is a married woman who is being maintained by her husband, in view of the way that this militates against essential home care for the elderly.
The prescribed relative allowance is an increase of pension payable to certain categories of pensioners under specific conditions. To qualify for the allowance the pensioner must be so incapacitated as to require full time care and attention and have a prescribed relative living with her for the purpose of providing that care and attention.
The scheme is a limited one designed to meet the income maintenance needs of the pensioner and the prescribed relative. Relatives with other means of support, including married persons who are being wholly or mainly supported by their spouses, are not covered by the scheme.
Extension of the scheme in the manner suggested by the Deputy would radically alter its nature and scope and would have far reaching and costly implications. There are no proposals to extend the scheme in this way. The person concerned is a married person wholly or mainly maintained by her husband and she is not therefore entitled to prescribed relative allowance. She has been notified accordingly.
69.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Clare was not paid his disability benefit.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 23 September 1985. Payment was not authorised however, as he quoted an incorrect number under which insufficient contributions were recorded in 1983-84 the contribution year that governed his claim. The matter was subsequently resolved and the arrears of benefit payable to 13 November 1985, when he was certified fit to resume work, were issued on 25 February 1986.
70.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when arrears of disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 1 for the period from November 1985 to February 1986.
The person concerned made an application to the Department to have the increase for the adult and child dependents payable on her husband's disability benefit claim issued separately to her. Pending investigations into this matter by the Department disability benefit payable to her husband was issued at the weekly rate appropriate to a single man during the period from 3 December 1985 to 13 January 1986. After this date the person concerned indicated that she wished all of the benefit payable to issue direct to her husband.
All arrears payable in respect of the period above have now been issued to the husband of the person concerned. Benefit is currently issuing at the weekly rate of £85, the maximum rate payable to a married man with two dependent children. All benefit payable has now been issued to 17 February 1986, the date of the latest medical certificate received.