Ivan Yates
Question:59 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will review the case of a handicapped person (details supplied) in County Wexford in relation to the full-time carer's allowance.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
The carer's allowance scheme came into effect last November and provides an allowance direct to carers who are providing full-time care and attention to elderly or invalided social welfare pensioners and who satisfy a means test. The maximum allowance is £45 with increases for each child dependant of the carer.
There has been an awareness for some time that persons receiving payments under the Health Acts, including some persons receiving disabled persons maintenance allowances, also require full-time care and attention and that the individuals providing such care might reasonably be expected to qualify for the carer's allowance. I made provision in the Social Welfare Act, 1990, to enable the carer's allowance scheme to be extended by regulation when circumstances permitted.
It is intended that from next October, the scheme will be extended to cover recipients of disabled persons maintenance allowance and those persons getting a pension from another member state of the EC or from a country with whom Ireland has a bilateral social security agreement. There will be a budgetary increase in the maximum personal rate from £45 to £50 weekly from next July.
The carer of the person concerned should qualify for the carer's allowance under the extension from October provided they satisfy the means test.
Madeleine Taylor-Quinn
Question:61 Mrs. Taylor-Quinn asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will grant the carer's allowances to a person (details supplied) in County Clare.
One of the conditions for receipt of carer's allowance requires that the applicant must not have means in excess of £44 per week.
Following investigations, it was decided on 3 January 1991 that the person concerned was not entitled to this allowance as her means, derived from a holding, exceeded the statutory limit for entitlement to this allowance.
Subsequently, appeal forms were issued to the person concerned on 21 January 1991. She has been requested to outline her grounds of appeal and to include any relevant documentation in support of it.
The completed appeal forms have not yet been returned to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office in D'Olier House. When these are returned, duly completed, her case will be determined as soon as possible.
Madeleine Taylor-Quinn
Question:62 Mrs. Taylor-Quinn asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will issue a full children's allowance to a person (details supplied) in County Clare until he reaches 18 years of age.
The person concerned applied for extended child benefit in respect of his son on 5 December 1990. The claim was disallowed by a deciding officer on the grounds that the child is not receiving full-time instruction at a university, college, school or other educational establishment. While the child in question is attending an agricultural college, part of the course which is run by Teagasc was considered to be an apprenticeship and child benefit is not payable in respect of apprentices.
An appeal against the decision was made to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office on 21 January 1991 and the matter has been referred to an appeals officer for determination. It is expected that a decision will be made shortly.
Madeleine Taylor-Quinn
Question:63 Mrs. Taylor-Quinn asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will issue free fuel and electricity allowances to a person (details supplied) in County Clare.
In order to qualify for the free fuel allowance a person must satisfy certain conditions, one of which requires that the applicant should be unable to provide for his own heating needs.
In accordance with the provisions of a Deed of Transfer agreed to by the person concerned and his son in 1982, the latter has undertaken to support and maintain his parents during their lifetimes. The deed specifies that the person's son shall provide a satisfactory supply of heating oil for his parents' dwellinghouse. On this basis, it was decided that the person concerned was not entitled to a free fuel allowance.
The person concerned was approved for the free electricity allowance with effect from the August/September 1990 billing period and the ESB have been notified accordingly.
He is entitled also to a free black and white television licence. If he wishes to receive this, he should apply to his local post office.
Michael Bell
Question:64 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in confirming the acceptance of the appeal of a person (details supplied) in County Louth in relation to disability benefit; and when this appeal will be heard.
The person concerned was found to be capable of work by a medical referee on 15 November 1990. He was notified of this decision on 28 November 1990 and payment of benefit was disallowed from 1 December 1990.
An appeal was received against this decision on 5 December 1990. Acknowledgments issued promptly from the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office.
Arrangements have been made for a further examination by a medical referee on 14 February 1991 and the appeal will be reviewed in the light of the result of this examination.
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:65 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a free telephone rental allowance is payable to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare.
My Department have no record of receiving an application for free telephone rental allowance from the person concerned.
An application form has been issued to the person concerned on 29 January 1991. When she returns the completed application form to the Department, an early decision will be made on her case and she will be notified of the outcome.