Skip to main content
Normal View

Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 26 Nov 1986

Vol. 370 No. 3

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.

72.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare when she will grant invalidity benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford for whom Wexfor Corporation are building a specially adapted house because of her disability.

Invalidity pension is payable to insured persons who satisfy the contribution conditions and are regarded permanently incapable of work. The person concerned was due to be examined on 11 November 1986 by a medical referee. However, she was certified as medically unfit to attend. On the medical evidence before him, the medical adviser expressed the opinion that she was not permanently incapable of work. A deciding officer has decided that she is not, therefore, entitled to invalidity pension. She has been notified of this decision and of her right to appeal.

73.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason the family income supplement has been discontinued in the case of persons (details supplied) in County Monaghan; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

The period of currency of the family income supplement payable to the persons concerned expired on 29 October 1986. The renewal claim was disallowed on the ground that the weekly income of the claimants for family income supplement purposes, including income from self-employment, exceeds the income limit of £120 for a family with two children. It is open to the claimants to appeal against the decision if they are dissatisfied with it.

74.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare the alleviating measures, if any, she proposes to immediately assist a person (details supplied) in Dublin 13 on invalidity pension suffering from Hodgkin's disease who has four dependent children and a wife who earns in excess of £50 per week, and whose invalidity pension of £118.75 per week has been cut by £51.15 per week as a result of her implementation of the equal treatment directive.

From mid-November 1986 men and women claiming benefit, assistance or pension under the Social Welfare Acts are being treated equally. Up to now a married man claiming a social welfare payment automatically got extra benefit for his wife and children but a married woman could only get the extra benefit for her husband and children in limited circumstances.

Men and women will now have an equal right to claim benefit for a spouse and for children who are dependants. However the income of the claimant's husband-wife will be taken into account in deciding whether or not the extra benefit is payable for the spouse and whether the increase in benefit for the children should be paid at the full rate or at half rate.

The person concerned was in receipt of invalidity pension at the personal rate of £47.10 plus an allowance of £30.60 in respect of his wife and £41.05 in respect of four qualified children.

His wife is employed and earning in excess of £50 a week and she cannot be regarded as an adult dependant. Consequently, since 20 November 1986 his entitlement was assessed at £67.60 weekly, that is, £47.10 personal rate and an increase of £20.50 for four children.

Under the special alleviating measures announced last night following the promised Government review of the cases affected by equal treatment, it has been decided that beneficiaries whose allowances have been reduced because their wives are earning over £50 a week will have their child dependant allowances restored to their full value and they will also receive an additional £10 weekly payment on a transitional basis. This means that the pensioner in question will have his allowances for his children restored to their former value of £41.05 and he will also receive a payment of £10, bringing his total weekly payment up to £98.15. These additional payments which will be backdated to 20 November will be paid to the pensioner shortly.

75.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a person (details supplied) in County Wexford will be awarded unemployment assistance payments; and if so, when and at what rate.

The person concerned claimed unemployment assistance from 4 November 1986 and his papers were referred to a social welfare officer for investigation of means. The inquiries in the matter will be completed as soon as possible and the case will then be submitted to a deciding officer for assessment of means. His entitlement to unemployment assistance will be examined in the light of this assessment.

76.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a children's allowance payment for a person (details supplied) in County Wexford was reduced from £21.95 per month to £20.85 per month under the new EC Directive on Equality.

Prior to the introduction of equality of treatment measures in mid-November 1986, the person concerned was receiving invalidity pension at the weekly rate of £99.65, consisting of £47.10 personal rate, an increase of £30.60 in respect of his wife as adult dependant and increases of £21.95 in respect of two qualified children. His wife was receiving disability benefit on her own record at the weekly rate of £41.10. Total income to the family was £140.75.

From mid-November 1986 men and women claiming benefit, assistance or pension under the Social Welfare Acts are being treated equally. Up to then a married man claiming a social welfare payment was automatically paid dependancy allowances for his wife and children, but a married woman could only get the extra benefit for her husband and children in limited circumstances.

Men and women now have an equal right to claim benefit for a spouse and for children who are dependants. However, the spouse of a beneficiary can no longer be classified as a dependant where the spouse is on social welfare payment or is working and earning over £50. Where the spouse is receiving benefit in his or her own right both parents are entitled to the child dependant allowances with the appropriate benefits at 50 per cent of the normal rate.

As the wife of the person concerned is receiving disability benefit she cannot be regarded as an adult dependant, and consequently since 20 November 1986 his entitlement was assessed at £68 weekly, consisting of £47.10 personal rate, increase of £10.90 in respect of the two qualified children (being half the normal rate) and an extra temporary weekly payment of £10 which is being paid to married men whose wives are receiving a social welfare payment.

Under the additional alleviating measures announced yesterday, the person concerned will receive a further £10 per week on a transitional basis bringing his total entitlement to £78 weekly. The disability benefit in payment to the wife of person concerned has also been increased from £41.10 to £51.05 per week since she is now entitled to be paid the full personal rate and an allowance for the children at half rate, consisting of her personal rate of £41.10 plus half the normal child dependant allowances with that benefit. The £41.10 includes an increase of approximately £5 paid earlier in the year when the rates for married women were increased to the full rates under the first stage of equal treatment. Total income to the family between both spouses will now be £129.05 a week.

77.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will arrange to have a person (details supplied) in County Wexford transferred from disability benefit to an invalidity pension.

Invalidity pension is payable to insured persons who satisfy the contribution conditions and who are permanently incapable of work. Arrangements are being made to have the person concerned examined by a medical referee on 11 December 1986. Her entitlement to invalidity pension will be reviewed in the light of the report of this examination.

Top
Share