asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for immediate payment of disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will ensure regular weekly payments are made in future.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
40.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit on 17 August 1987. Payment of benefit was authorised from 20 August 1987, fourth day of incapacity at the weekly rate of £42.30, the maximum rate for a single man. Pay-related benefit was also authorised from 7 September 1987, 19th day of incapacity and is currently issuing at the weekly rate of £0.60.
The reason for the irregularity in the payments in this case appears to be that the person is not sending in the medical certification at regular intervals. Every effort is made in the Department to process all medical certificates received for payment as soon as possible. However, disability benefit cheques can only issue when the appropriate medical certificate is received in the Department and any delay or irregularity in the submission or delivery of medical certificates inevitable delays the issue of payment.
All disability benefit currently payable to the person concerned has been issued on receipt of medical certification to 23 February 1988.
41.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a person (details supplied) in County Dublin who is claiming unemployment assistance, who has no income from any other source and whose disabled wife has been refused disabled person's maintenance allowance by the Eastern Health Board, has been informed that his weekly unemployment assistance payment of £65 per week is to cease after this week; the reason payment is to cease in this case; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Entitlement to unemployment assistance is subject to the condition that a person must be available for and genuinely seeking employment. The person concerned was in receipt of unemployment assistance from 29 June 1987 having drawn his maximum entitlement to 390 days unemployment benefit. Following a review of his case on 24 February 1988, a deciding officer disallowed his claim on the grounds that he was not genuinely seeking employment. He was notified of this decision. It is open to him to appeal against the disallowance of his claim. A form for this purpose may be obtained at his local office.
42.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kerry has not qualified for unemployment assistance.
Following investigation, the unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed on the grounds that, by failing to furnish details of her means, she failed to show that her means did not exceed the statutory limit. She appealed against the disallowance on 24 December 1987 and arising from contentions raised by her in support of her appeal, her papers were referred to the social welfare officer for further inquiries. These inquiries were completed recently and her case has been submitted to an appeals officer for determination as soon as possible. The entitlement of the person concerned to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the outcome of the appeal.