asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason sick benefit and pay-related benefit is not being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who has been off work due to illness for the past six weeks; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
33.
The person concerned has claimed disability benefit from 4 March 1988 and is entitled to benefit at the weekly rate of £79.40, the maximum rate appropriate to a married man with one dependent child.
Confusion over the amount of credited contributions on his 1986-87 insurance record resulted in a delay in issuing payment. It has not been established that the person concerned was entitled to disability benefit from 4 March 1988. He was paid unemployment assistance up to 15 March 1988 and supplementary welfare allowance from 16 March 1988. Arrears of disability benefit for the period from 4 March 1988 to 7 April 1988 have been held pending confirmation of the amount of unemployment assistance and supplementary welfare allowance paid to him since the start of his disability benefit claim.
A cheque for £13.20 which issued to the person concerned on 18 April 1988, covered payment in respect of 8 April 1988 only, the date of the latest medical certificate received.
34.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the correct amount of sick benefit payable in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who has been off work, due to illness from 15 March to 11 April inclusive; the amount of pay-related benefit payable in this case; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 15 March 1988 to 11 April 1988 after which date she was certified fit to resume work. Disability benefit was awarded from 18 March 1988, fourth day of incapacity, at the weekly rate of £42.30, the maximum rate appropriate to a single claimant. The person was also awarded pay-related benefit at the weekly rate of £18.96 from 5 April 1988, nineteenth day of incapacity.
A total of £167.00 disability benefit and pay-related benefit has been issued by way of five separate cheques.
35.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of wives of working spouses who have obtained (a) dental and (b) optical benefit on foot of their spouses' contributions in 1987-88 to date.
To date 14,800 dental benefit claims and 16,060 optical benefit claims from wives of working spouses have been approved in 1987-88.