asked the Minister for Social Welfare the items of household furnishings which are regarded as constituting essential household items for the purposes of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1981, which makes provision for the grant by the health boards of a single payment to meet exceptional need in the case of (1) a single person with no household furnishing or disposable income other than social welfare who has acquired a local authority tenancy and (2) a family unit of two adults and three children with no household furnishings or disposable income other than their social welfare payment who has acquired a local authority tenancy under normal custom and practice; if there is any circular detailing essential household furnishing items for (a) a single person and (b) a family unit of two adults and three children; and if not, if he will publish any such circular.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefit.
The question of whether, and if so to what extent, an applicant for supplementary welfare allowance should be assisted in the provision of essential household items in the circumstances outlined by the Deputy is a matter for determination by the health boards. In considering each application the boards will take into account the applicant's circumstances, whether essential items are already available to him and his ability to provide for these from his own resources.
The Department has not issued any circular in this area in the detail mentioned by the Deputy. The guidelines on the operation of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme suggest, however, that tables, chairs, curtains, floor-covering, beds, mattresses, sheets, blankets, pillows and household appliances such as cookers may be regarded as essential household items.
Payments under this heading are discretionary and health boards decide each case on its merits having regard to all the relevant facts.
71.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an appeal for disability benefit made by a person (details supplied) in County Cork will be heard.
The person concerned was in receipt of disability benefit from November 1985.
On 20 January 1986 he was found capable of work by a medical referee of the Department. He appealed against this decision and was again found capable by a different medical referee. His case was submitted to an appeals officer who upheld the decision to disallow payment of disability benefit. He continued to submit medical evidence and a further appeal against the continued disallowance of benefit was heard subsequently. The appeals officer upheld the disallowance of benefit to 19 November 1987.
Consultants' reports, which were recently submitted on behalf of the person concerned, had already been seen by the Department's medical adviser who held that they did not alter the position in regard to the medical evidence in hand.
The person concerned has continued to submit medical certificates, and benefit has again been disallowed from 20 November 1987. If he wishes to appeal against this decision, he should inform the Department accordingly and he will be referred for a further medical examination.
72.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment assistance has been discontinued in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and the way in which the person and his family can be expected to survive financially while the appeal is being heard.
The person concerned was in receipt of disability benefit from 24 May 1977 up to 26 March 1988. Payment was suspended following a report from an investigating officer of the Department that the person concerned had been observed working and did not appear to be complying with the rules of behaviour for a person on disability benefit. One of these rules is that a claimant must not do any work unless it is work which he is allowed do under the Department's regulations.
The claim to disability benefit of the person concerned was therefore suspended from 27 March 1988 on these grounds pending further investigations into his entitlement to this benefit. These investigations are ongoing and when they are completed, entitlement to further payment of benefit will then be reviewed.
73.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position regarding the application of a person (details supplied) in County Leitrim for unemployment benefit.
It has not been possible to trace receipt of a claim for unemployment benefit or assistance which refers to the person named in the details supplied.
Further inquiries in the matter will be made if the Deputy will furnish additional information to enable the person concerned to be identified.
74.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an invalidity pension will be awarded to a person (details supplied) in County Louth.
The person concerned has been awarded invalidity pension from 7 May 1987. A pension order book payable from 16 June 1988 was issued to the designated Post Office of payment on 13 May 1988.
Arrears of pension due in respect of the period from 7 May 1987 to 15 June 1988 less the amount of disability benefit already paid will be paid by payable order.
75.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will clarify the position in a case of the application for disability benefit of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 22 where the contents of a letter from his Department dated 25 April, 1988 to Deputy Jim Mitchell is disputed and the only payments received are those (details supplied).
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 4 January 1988. As indicated in the Department letter, benefit was authorised from 7 January 1988, fourth day of incapacity, at the weekly rate of £42.30, the maximum personal rate plus increases for her two children.
However, the husband of the person concerned was on unemployment assistance for the duration of his wife's disability benefit claim which lasted to 16 January 1988. Where both parents are in receipt of social welfare payments then each parent is entitled to half the child dependant allowance. In this particular case as the husband of the person concerned was paid the full child dependant increases for the duration of his wife's claim, increases for the children were not given on the wife's claim.
The person was paid a total of £48.50 which represented payment at the single person rate from 7 to 16 January, less £15.00 supplementary welfare allowance recouped to the Health Board.
The position in relation to RSI number of the person concerned is being clarified for her.
76.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the amount of rent received annually from the leasing of land excluded from calculation of means for the purpose of assessing entitlement to old age pension; and whether he has any further proposals in this regard designed to encourage land leasing by aged owners.
In assessing means for old age pension purposes income from the leasing of land is normally assessed on the basis of the profits from the lease, after allowing for expenses incurred in connection with the lease. There is no specific provision for excluding a portion of such profits from the means assessment. However means up to £6 per week are disregarded in determining the amount of pension to be paid.
The provision of further concessions in the assessment of means would involve significant increases in the cost of old age pensions and would have to be considered in a budgetary context.