asked the Minister for Social Welfare when she will pay disability benefit being claimed for three years in respect of a fully qualified person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
141.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 18 December 1985. He is not qualified for benefit as regulations provide that, where a claimant has no reckonable contributions paid or credited for any two consecutive contribution years preceding his claim, he cannot qualify for payment of disability benefit, or the award of credited contributions in respect of periods of incapacity for work, until he has a further 26 weeks of insurable employment for which the appropriate contributions have been paid.
According to the records of the Department, the person concerned had no reckonable contributions paid or credited in the years from 1978-79 to 1981-82, and has not had 26 weeks of insurable employment since that time. If his means are insufficient to meet his needs he may be entitled to supplementary welfare allowance and in this regard he should contact his local community welfare officer.
142.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a widow (details supplied) in County Wexford is entitled to free telephone rental and a free travel pass; and, if so, when these will be issued to her.
To qualify for the benefits in question a person under 66 years of age must be in receipt of a qualifying payment as a permanently incapacitated person.
The person concerned, who is 62 years of age, is receiving a widow's pension which is not, in the circumstances, a qualifying payment for these benefits. Her application for a free telephone rental allowance, which was received on 31 October 1986, has been refused and she has been notified accordingly. It will be open to her to reapply for this allowance when she reaches age 66 years. A free travel pass will be issued to her automatically at that stage.
143.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a person (details supplied) in County Wexford will be awarded unemployment assistance payments at the maximum rate, in view of the recent appeal lodged to the local employment office and in view of the low level of household income.
Following investigation of the unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned he was assessed with means of £3 weekly, derived from the value of board and lodgings in his parents' home. He is, accordingly, in receipt of unemployment assistance of £30 weekly, being the appropriate maximum rate payable in his case of £33 less means of £3.
The person concerned appealed against the decision on 30 October 1986 and arrangements are being made to have his case submitted to an appeals officer for determination at the earliest available opportunity. His entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the outcome of the appeal.
144.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if unemployment assistance payments will be awarded at the maximum rate to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; and if she will clarify the reason why a decision in this regard has not been given earlier and the reason the papers have been with the social welfare officer for some time.
The person concerned asked for a review of his unemployment assistance claim on 14 July 1986 and his papers were referred to a social welfare officer for reinvestigation of his means. This investigation has now been completed and he has been assessed with means of £3.55 weekly, derived from the profit from the letting of his land. This assessment entitles him to unemployment assistance of £31.95 weekly from 14 July 1986, being the appropriate maximum rate payable in his case of £35.50 less means of £3.55. Arrangements are being made to have payment made this week.
If the person concerned is dissatisfied with the amount of means assessed against him it is open to him to appeal and have his case determined by an appeals officer. A form for this purpose may be obtained at his local office. While every effort is being made to process claims with a minimum of delay, nevertheless, due to the large volume of claims received in the Department, there is an inevitable delay in some cases. Delays are more likely to arise where means testing is involved, as in this particular case, where the social welfare officer must visit the claimant's home to investigate the means.
145.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment benefit payments will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford in view of the level of data submitted to prove her availability for work.
Entitlement to unemployment benefit is subject to the condition that a person must be available for employment. The person concerned had been in receipt of disability benefit up to February 1986, when her claim was disallowed after she was found capable of work by a medical referee. She claimed unemployment benefit from 27 February 1986 and her claim was allowed from that date.
Following a review, her claim was disallowed from June 1986 on the grounds that she was not available for employment, on the basis that she failed to furnish evidence of any efforts to obtain employment. She appealed against the disallowance and attended an oral hearing of her case on 9 September 1986. The appeals officer also decided that she was not available for employment.
She continued to sign the unemployed register, and following a further review of her case, her claim has been allowed from 10 September 1986, the date following the appeals officer's decision. The person concerned has been notified accordingly and all arrears due will be paid this week. Further weekly payments at the appropriate weekly rate of £41.10 will continue to be made as they become due.
146.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a person (details supplied) in County Wexford will be awarded unemployment assistance payments on an appeal basis due to the fact he has no income and when a decision will be made in this regard.
Following investigation, the unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed by a deciding officer on the grounds that his means of £57.65 weekly, derived from his share of the profit from his family's holding, exceed the maximum appropriate rate of unemployment assistance payable in his case of £33. The investigation revealed that the claimant and two of his brothers benefit from the holding. Accordingly, the means assessed against him are based on his having a one-third share.
The person concerned appealed against the assessment of means on 30 October 1986 and his case is being submitted to an appeals officer for determination at the earliest available opportunity. His entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the outcome of the appeal.