asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Wexford is no longer in receipt of disability benefit payments; and if he will ensure that all arrears are paid to this person.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
86.
The person concerned was paid disability benefit from 23 November 1987. There was a delay in issuing payment of benefit from 24 November 1988 as a doubt arose as to whether she continued to satisfy the contribution conditions for entitlement to continued benefit. This has now been resolved and all arrears have been issued.
Payment has been made to 17 February 1989, the date of the latest medical certificate received.
87.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a person (details supplied) in County Dublin who was in receipt of unemployment assistance received a total of £78.30 which included an allowance for his common-law wife and child; that this person is in receipt of a blind pension of £59, which included an allowance for his child but no allowance for his common-law wife, thus having his income reduced by £19.30 per week; and whether he proposes to amend the regulations which in the case of a blind person preclude him from receiving an allowance for his common-law wife.
There are no provisions for increases in social welfare payments in respect of common-law wives. Under the unemployment assistance scheme, however, an adult dependant increase is payable in respect of a person over the age of 16 looking after a child of the applicant and maintained by him. There is no such provision under the blind pension scheme. Therefore when the person concerned transferred from unemployment assistance to blind pension he automatically lost the increase in respect of his common-law wife. However, he was advised that she could claim unemployment assistance in her own right. She subsequently did so and is currently in receipt of unemployment assistance at the rate of £37.80. The total payment to the household at present is therefore £96.80. Under the measures provided for in the Social Welfare Bill, 1989, this will increase to £102.80 from July 1989.
The question of extending the arrangements for payment of adult dependant allowances with blind pensions to cover this sort of situation would have significant implications for the scheme because of the way means are assessed under the scheme at present.
88.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will have disability benefit restored to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5 who is clearly unable to work, as evidenced by his doctor's letters.
The person concerned was paid disability benefit to 27 January 1989 after which date payment was disallowed following an examination by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that he was capable of work. He appealed against the disallowance and will be examined by a different medical referee on 1 March 1989. His entitlement to benefit will then be reviewed.
89.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will pay social welfare benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 27 September to 1 November 1988 (the day before she was certified fit to resume work).
This person is in receipt of widow's contributory pension since 25 December 1983 and as such is not entitled to disability benefit under the Social Welfare Overlapping Benefit Regulations. A notification to this effect, which also confirmed that credited contributions would be awarded for that duration of the illness, issued to the claimant on 3 October 1988. Following a further query a letter exlaining the position was issued to her on 28 November 1988.