asked the Minister for Social Welfare if disability benefit payments can now be authorised for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 24; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
120.
Where a person has less than 208 contributions paid since entry into insurable employment, entitlement to disability benefit is limited to 52 weeks.
According to the records of the Department the person concerned had only 206 contributions paid on her behalf since entry into insurance. She claimed disability benefit from 22 October 1986 and was paid to 20 October 1987 after which date her 52 week entitlement became exhausted.
She has furnished a letter from her employer indicating that three additional contributions were paid on her behalf. Accordingly payment of disability benefit has been restored to the person concerned from 21 October 1987. All disability benefit payable to 27 October 1987, the date of the latest medical certificate received, has been issued to her.
121.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit has been discontinued in the case of a person (details supplied) in Cork city.
Where a person has less than 208 contributions paid since entry into insurable employment, entitlement to disability benefit is limited to 52 weeks.
According to the records of my Department the person concerned has only 147 contributions paid on his behalf since entry into insurable employment. He claimed disability benefit from 20 October 1986 and was paid to 19 October 1987 after which date his 52 weeks entitlement became exhausted. A copy of his insurance record has been forwarded to the person concerned. If he has any information regarding further insurable employment, his claim will be reviewed.
In order to requalify for disability benefit it will be necessary for him to have at least a further 13 weeks of insurable employment for which the appropriate contributions are paid.
122.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in County Kerry will receive payment of a disability benefit in view of the fact that he was released from work from a co-operative in County Kerry on the grounds of ill health and is in receipt of a small pension from this company; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Payment of disability benefit to the person concerned was disallowed from 15 October 1987 following examination by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that he was capable of work.
He has not, however, submitted any medical evidence of incapacity subsequent to the date of disallowance. The person concerned has been informed that he would need to obtain medical evidence of incapacity for work from that date before his appeal can be considered.
123.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will give details of the total number of appeals made under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme for the last year for which figures are available; if he will give details of the number of appeals which were successful; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Figures are available in respect of the year ended 30 September 1987. The figures include appeals under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme and reviews under the national fuel scheme. Each of these forms about 50 per cent of the total number of cases.
The following are the figures: Total number of cases dealt with within the year (after 213 had been withdrawn), 3,246; awarded in favour of claimant, 550.
124.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if, in the light of his commitment to reform the system of social welfare appeals, he will announce decisions on a new appeals system; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
125.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the plans, if any, he has to introduce regulations providing for an impartial appeals system under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 124 and 125 together.
Proposals aimed at reforming the social welfare appeals system are at present being prepared and when finalised will be submitted to the Government. The question of supplementary welfare allowance appeals is also being considered. The Deputy will, however, no doubt appreciate that, because of the nature of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme where payments are frequently required as a matter of urgency, the setting up of an alternative appeals system to that at present in operation poses particular difficulties.
126.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when payments of disability benefit will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 12 August 1987.
He is not qualified for benefit as regulations provide that where a claimant has no 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 contributions paid or credited since 1965 and, therefore, does not qualify for payment of benefit.
The person concerned is now in hospital. When he is discharged he should apply to his local community welfare officer with a view to claiming disabled person's maintenance allowance.
Question No. 127 withdrawn.
128.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will reconsider issuing payments of disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 7 as this person had difficulty in sending in medical certificates on time.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 10 September 1985. However, notice of his claim was not received in the Department until 26 November 1985.
Where a claimant fails to give notice of incapacity for work within seven days he is disqualified from receiving disability benefit in respect of any period more than seven days before the date on which notice was given unless he can show due cause for the delay. An explanation was received in 1985 which, however, was not sufficient to allow back-dating of the claim. No further explanation has since been received.
Accordingly, the claim was authorised from 18 November 1985 only and all benefit payable up to 22 November 1985, the date of the latest medical certificate received, was issued.
129.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The person concerned was paid disability benefit to 3 October 1987 after which date payment was disallowed following an examination by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that he was capable of work.
He appealed against the disallowance and arrangements have been made to have him examined by a different medical referee as soon as possible. His entitlement to benefit will then be reviewed in the light of the medical referee's report.
130.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when the result of a disability benefit appeal will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit for the period from 4 February 1987 to 10 June 1987. He was not qualified for payment of benefit as he did not have the required minimum of 26 contributions paid since entry into insurable employment. He does not appear to have lodged an appeal.
It appears, however, that the person concerned was employed in Great Britain. Details of his insurance record in that country have now been requested and when these details are received in this Department, his claim will be urgently reviewed.
131.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry.
Where a person has less than 208 contributions paid since entry into insurable employment, entitlement to disability benefit is limited to 52 weeks. According to the records of the Department, the person concerned has only 85 contributions paid on his behalf since entry into insurance. He received payment in respect of a claim from 29 June 1976 to 27 June 1977, when his entitlement expired.
The person concerned claimed benefit again from 4 August 1987 but, on the basis of his Irish record to date, does not qualify for payment of this benefit. However, as he has indicated that he was insurably employed in Britain, the Department of Health and Social Security has been requested to furnish details of his British insurance record. When this has been received his entitlement to disability benefit will be reviewed.
132.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if an invalidity pension can now be awarded to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny where an application has been made to his Department.
The person concerned has been awarded invalidity pension from the 10 September 1987. A pension order book payable from 5 November 1987 was issued to the designated post office of payment on 20 October 1987. Arrears in respect of the period from 10 September 1987 to 4 November 1987, less the amount of disability benefit paid during that period will be paid by payable order.
133.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will make arrangements that will enable a person (details supplied) in County Offaly to be transferred from a disability benefit to invalidity pension.
The person concerned appears to satisfy the medical and contribution conditions for invalidity pension. It will be necessary for him to formally apply for pension and a claim form has now been forwarded to him.
134.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if his attention has been drawn to the fact that unemployed people living in the Rathcoole-Newcastle and Saggart areas of County Dublin have to pay £1.70 per week on bus fares in order to sign on for benefit and assistance and, given that these recipients receive the rural rates of payment, if he will have this unfair anomaly ended forthwith.
Signing arrangements for unemployed persons are governed by statutory regulations which provide that unemployment benefit and unemployment assistance claimants must sign the unemployed register to prove unemployment. Persons who reside within six miles of a local office of the Department are required to present themselves there to sign the register at least once weekly while those who reside over six miles from the local office are required to register as unemployed at their local Garda station and they are paid at their local post office on foot of a voucher sent to them by their local office.
Up to last year unemployed persons residing in the Rathcoole, Newcastle and Saggart areas were required to attend at their local Garda station in order to have their declarations of unemployment certified and they were paid at their local post office. However, since a new employment exchange was opened in Clondalkin in November 1986 those claimants are required to attend there once weekly as they are residing within six miles of that office. They continue to be paid at their local post office.
The signing arrangements for unemployed persons are not considered onerous and they are, in fact, designed to keep any travelling expenses of claimants to a minimum.
Replacement of the rural rates of unemployment assistance by the higher urban rates is a matter that would affect claimants throughout the country and because of the substantial cost involved no change in this regard is contemplated.