asked the Minister for Social Welfare if persons (details supplied) in County Wexford, who have been made redundant, will be paid unemployment benefit or supplementary welfare allowance in view of the fact that they are available for and seeking work; and if she will arrange that some payments be made on a temporary basis until such time that the court case resolves the details of their industrial dispute.
Written Answers - Social Welfare Benefits.
50.
To be entitled to unemployment benefit a person must be unemployed, capable of and available for work. The three persons in respect of whom details were supplied were employed by the same employer up to 2 January 1986 when the employment was terminated in respect of one of the persons concerned, who had been employed on a temporary casual basis. The other two persons named failed to report for work from 6 January 1986.
The persons concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 13 January 1986. Inquiries, which are ongoing, had to be made to ascertain the reason their employment was terminated and whether they satisfied the necessary conditions for receipt of benefit. When these inquiries, which it is anticipated will be completed shortly, are completed, a decision will be made in the case in the light of the information available.
It is understood that only one of the persons concerned applied for, and is in receipt of, supplementary welfare allowance. It is open to the other persons to apply to their local community welfare officer for supplementary welfare allowance if their income is insufficient to meet their needs.
51.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a person (details supplied) in County Wexford will be awarded payments of unemployment assistance in view of the fact that the person's parents have a negligible income.
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 on 10 January 1986 and the papers were referred to a social welfare officer for investigation of means. These inquiries have recently been completed and the papers are being submitted to a deciding officer for assessment of his means. His entitlement to unemployment assistance will be determined in the light of the assessment of the deciding officer.
52.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Clare was not paid her unemployment assistance from 24 April 1985 to 11 October 1985.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed with effect from 24 April 1985 on the grounds that her means, derived from the value of board and lodging enjoyed by her, exceeded the maximum rate payable in her case. She applied for a review of her means on 24 September 1985, but due to an oversight, her means were not reinvestigated.
Arrangements have now been made with the local social welfare officer to carry out an investigation of her means for the period from 24 September 1985 to 29 October 1985, when she ceased to sign at the local office. When these inquiries are completed, her means will be reassessed and her entitlement to unemployment assistance will be determined accordingly. The oversight in this case is regretted.
53.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cavan is only receiving £14.45 per week unemployment assistance.
Following investigation of the unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned he was assessed with means of £17.30 weekly derived from the benefit of board and lodgings enjoyed by him. He is, accordingly, in receipt of unemployment assistance at £14.45 weekly being the appropriate maximum rate payable in his case of £31.75 less means of £17.30.
He appealed against the amount of means assessed against him and an appeals officer, on 20 February 1986, also assessed him with means of £17.30 weekly. If the person concerned considers that his circumstances have changed since the last investigation it is open to him to apply for a review of his means. A form for this purpose may be obtained at his local employment office.
54.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath is in receipt of such a small amount of unemployment assistance as he has no other means whatsoever.
Following investigation of his unemployment assistance claim the means of the person concerned were assessed at £16 weekly derived from the value of board and lodgings on his brother's holding.
He recently appealed against the means assessment and the case was referred to an appeals officer for determination. The rate of unemployment assistance payable will be reviewed in the light of the appeals officer's decision.
He is at present in receipt of unemployment assistance at £17.80 weekly being the appropriate maximum rate payable in his case of £33.80 less means of £16. Weekly payments are continuing to be made as they become due.
55.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will explain the reasons for the inordinate delay in the payment of unemployment benefit or assistance in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
The person concerned does not satisfy the contribution conditions for entitlement to unemployment benefit on the basis of her Irish contribution record. Her UK contribution record cannot be invoked for the purposes of her claim as she is not eligible for a transfer of contributions under the provision of the EC regulations by reason of her last insurable employment being outside this country. 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 on 23 December 1985 and her case was referred to a social welfare officer for investigation. These inquiries were recently completed and the papers are now being submitted to a deciding officer for assessment of means. Her entitlement to unemployment assistance will be determined in the light of the deciding officer's assessment. It is understood that the person concerned is in receipt of supplementary welfare allowance.
56.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will reconsider the appeal of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry against the decision to refuse unemployment assistance in view of applicant's statement that his only income at the moment is £41 per week unemployment benefit and that he is getting no income from his parents and that he is available for and genuinely seeking work; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
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 failed to furnish relevant details requested from him regarding his parents' holding, on which he resides.
He appealed against the disallowance and an appeals officer also decided that he failed to furnish particulars of his means and disallowed his appeal. An appeals officer's decision is final in the absence of new facts or fresh evidence.
The person concerned has not signed as unemployed at his local employment office since 21 January 1986. If he wishes to have his appeal reopened he may do so on the condition that he co-operates fully with the social welfare officer in the investigation of his means. He should inform his local office accordingly, if he wishes to pursue this course.
57.
Mr. Cowen
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the basis on which the means of a person (details supplied) in County Offaly who applied for a non-contributory old age pension has been assessed; and the reason he is not deemed to qualify.
It has been decided that the person concerned is entitled to an old age pension at the weekly rate of £2 from 18 October 1985. This is the rate to which he is entitled having regard to the assessment of his means consisting of half the weekly value of capital, his pension from the county council and his wife's pension from the Department of Education.
An appeal form issued to the pensioner on 3 February 1986. On receipt of the completed form the case will be referred to an appeals officer for determination. The person concerned will be notified of the outcome.