asked the Minister for Social Welfare in reply to Parliamentary Question No. 129 of 16 May 1987 in relation to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who has a wife and four children; the reason he gave incorrect information based on a report from a social welfare investigation officer; if the officer was informed exactly of the whereabouts of the person concerned; the response from the officer; the reason this person is still deprived of sick-disability benefit though he is hospitalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Disability Benefit Application.
65.
The social welfare regulations require that a person on disability benefit must leave word where he/she may be contacted if he-she is absent from home. The person concerned was called on at his home on four occasions by a sickness visitor of the Department. The report of the visits indicate that on two of the occasions, the person's wife only indicated that her husband was in town and on the third occasion that he was with friends without being able to give information as to where he could be contacted. The officer received no reply to his fourth call. The Department were not notified by the claimant or his wife that he was in hospital when the officer called. As at this stage, the Department had been unable to contact the claimant on four separate visits without adequate explanation, payment was disallowed for the statutory nine weeks period.
A further examination of the claim from the person concerned now reveals that his claim started on 16 December 1986 and not 16 May 1987 as had been indicated in reply to Question No 129 on 19 April. Therefore, from the beginning of the new benefit year on 4 January 1988 his entitlement is based on the 1986-1987 governing contribution year for which he has only 13 credited contributions recorded. As he has less than the required minimum number of contributions in the governing contribution year, the situation now is that he has not been entitled to benefit from 4 January last.
He is being written to to inquire if he has any further insurance contributions during the period 1986-87 which may not be recorded in the Department.