asked the Minister for Social Welfare when the appeal of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 8 who is in receipt of long-term disability benefit will be heard, in view of his present medical condition.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
53.
Benefit was disallowed from 19 September 1988 following an examination by a medical referee who considered the person concerned to be capable of work. He expressed dissatisfaction with the disallowance and was examined again on 25 October 1988 by a different medical referee who also considered that he was capable of work.
His case has been referred to an appeals officer for determination. That officer may decide the appeal summarily or may hold an oral hearing. The person concerned will be advised of this as soon as possible.
54.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a free fuel allowance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry.
The national fuel scheme applies to persons in receipt of long-term social welfare or health board payments who live alone or only with persons who come within certain categories.
A condition for the receipt of this allowance is that the applicant or members of his household do not have an income greater than £5 per week, in addition to the pension.
The person concerned is in receipt of invalidity pension. He lives with his brother who is a farmer and who does not come within the categories in question. He is not, therefore, entitled to a fuel allowance under the national fuel scheme.
55.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when payment of unemployment benefit will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry.
Entitlement to unemployment benefit is subject to the condition that a claimant must be available for and genuinely seeking employment.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 7 October 1988. Her claim was disallowed by a deciding officer on 14 November 1988, on the grounds that she was not genuinely seeking employment due to the absence of any efforts on her part to obtain work.
She has appealed against the disallowance and arrangements are being made to have her case heard by an appeals officer at the earliest opportunity. Her entitlement to unemployment benefit will be reviewed in the light of the appeals officer's decision.
56.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a decision will be made in an appeal for unemployment assistance of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry.
Following re-investigation the unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed with effect from 21 December 1988 on the grounds that his means exceeded the maximum rate of unemployment assistance payable in his case. His means are derived from the profit from his holding.
He appealed against the disallowance on 6 February 1989 and the papers in his case were referred to a social welfare officer to investigate certain points raised by him in support of his appeal. These investigations will be completed as soon as possible and his case will then be submitted to an appeals officer for determination at the earliest available opportunity.
The entitlement of the person concerned to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the outcome of the appeal.
57.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a decision will be made in the application for an increase in widow's pension for a person (details supplied) in County Kerry.
The person concerned is in receipt of a reduced contributory pension at the rate of £9.50 a week. A social welfare officer investigated her circumstances in order to establish if it would be of financial benefit to her to transfer from this pension to a non-contributory pension.
Her means, derived from a farm holding, pension from the Department of Health and Social Security in Britain and some capital, exceed the weekly limit of £50 applicable in her case. Accordingly, her claim to a non-contributory pension has been refused. The reduced contributory pension will continue in payment to her.
58.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position regarding the application for disability benefit of a person (details supplied) in County Carlow.
Payment of benefit to the person concerned was disallowed from 11 August 1988 following an examination by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that she was capable of work. She appealed against the disallowance of benefit and was examined by a different medical referee on 5 October 1988 who also expressed the opinion that she was capable of work. Her appeal has been referred to an appeals officer for determination.
59.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in the payment of disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Louth; and when payment will be made.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 13 September 1988. She did not qualify for payment as she had less than the minimum of 39 contributions in the 1988-89 contribution year which governed her claim.
She continued to submit medical certificates and was awarded credited contributions which help to preserve the continuity of her insurance record. The award of credited contributions was discontinued from 9 December 1988 following an examination by a medical referee who considered her to be capable of work. She expressed dissatisfaction with this decision and was examined by a different medical referee on 2 February 1989 who also expressed the opinion that she was capable of work.
A new benefit year commenced on 2 January 1989 and the person concerned would have qualified for payment of benefit from that date on the basis of her insurance record had she been regarded as being incapable of work. She was informed of the result of this second examination and was supplied with a form on which to set out the grounds for appeal if she wished to have the question of her entitlement to disability benefit referred to an appeals officer for determination.