asked the Minister for Social Welfare when he will make a decision on an application for an old age pension in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Payments.
31.
The original application for old age non-contributory pension from the person concerned was disallowed by the Appeals Officer on 2 January 1986 on the grounds that his means were not fully disclosed.
Representations from the Deputy on behalf of the person concerned, together with a fresh application, were received in my Department on 16 November 1988. This application was investigated by a social welfare officer and it was established that the applicant has substantial cash assets. Despite a number of requests by the social welfare officer, however, the applicant has failed, to date, to provide a full and satisfactory explanation of his total means.
The social welfare officer referred the application to a deciding officer on 20 April, 1989 with a recommendation not to award the pension on the basis that means were not fully disclosed.
The deciding officer, by a decision dated 21 April 1989 refused the pension application on the basis that the applicant had failed to prove that his means did not exceed the statutory limit. The person has been notified of this decision.
He has the right to appeal against this decision. It will be necessary for him, however, to set out fully the grounds for his appeal giving a satisfactory explanation as to his means to enable his entitlement to pension to be established.