Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 5 Mar 1991

Vol. 405 No. 9

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Statistics.

Michael Moynihan

Question:

126 Mr. Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Welfare the total number of people in receipt of unemployment benefit and unemployment assistance as at 1 February, 1991 in the following employment exchanges in County Kerry: (1) Killarney (2) Killorglin (3) Kenmare (4) Cahirciveen and (5) Dingle.

Minister for Social Welfare (Dr. Woods):

The information which the Deputy seeks is set out in the following table:

Office	U.B.	U.A.
Killarney	644	899
Killorglin	254	752
Kenmare	116	235
Cahirciveen	183	525
Dingle	127	350

Ned O'Keeffe

Question:

127 Mr. E. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a free travel pass has not yet issued to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.

Minister for Social Welfare (Dr. Woods):

In order to obtain a free travel pass, a claimant who is under age 66 must be in receipt of a qualifying payment, such as invalidity pension, or be registered as a blind person.

As the person concerned has been awarded an invalidity pension very recently he is now entitled to free travel. A free travel pass will issue to him shortly.

Ned O'Keeffe

Question:

128 Mr. E. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an application for optical benefit will be approved in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork.

Minister for Social Welfare (Dr. Woods):

The person concerned does not qualify for optical benefit under the Department's treatment benefit scheme. The governing contribution conditions required to qualify for this benefit are not satisfied either on the person's own insurance record or on her late husband's insurance record.

Ned O'Keeffe

Question:

129 Mr. E. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an increase in pension will be awarded to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.

Minister for Social Welfare (Dr. Woods):

The person concerned will be entitled to an increase in pension when she reaches 80 years of age. According to the records of my department, this will not occur until 11 October 1991. She has been asked to furnish her birth certificate to confirm her date of birth. When this is received, her case will be re-examined. If the date of birth recorded is found to be incorrect, the increase will be backdated.

Brendan Howlin

Question:

131 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will outline in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford who applied for disability benefit in November 1990, the reason his entitlement to pay-related benefit continues to be based on his earnings for 1988-89 although his flat-rate benefit, payable from January 1991, is based on his contributions during 1989-90; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this practice ensures that no pay-related benefit is payable to the person in question; and if he will take steps to ensure that pay-related benefit is based on the same record as flat-rate benefit.

Minister for Social Welfare (Dr. Woods):

Regulations provide that the relevant income tax year in relation to pay-related benefit is the last complete income tax year before the beginning of the pay-related benefit year in which the first day of incapacity for work in a period of interruption of employment occurs.

The person concerned had insufficient earnings in this country in the 1988-89 tax year to establish entitlement to pay-related benefit. However, it is understood that he worked in Germany for part of 1988 and he can be credited with earnings for that year. Details have been requested from the German authorities and on receipt of this information the question of entitlement to pay-related benefit will be further examined.

For the vast majority of claimants the governing contribution year for disability benefit purposes coincides with the relevant income tax year for pay-related benefit purposes. However, in a small number of instances where a person does not qualify for disability benefit initially but continues to claim into a new benefit year, it can happen that he will then satisfy the contribution conditions in the later contribution year and, therefore, be entitled to payment of flat-rate disability benefit. However, the determination of pay-related benefit entitlement continues to be tied by regulations to the earlier income tax year because that was the tax year which governed the benefit year in which he first became incapacitated.

I am arranging to have this provision examined further with a view to ensuring that a more satisfactory mechanism can be found for cases of this type.

Brendan Howlin

Question:

132 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he has any plans to extend entitlement to unemployment benefit on a pro rata basis to persons who are available only for part-time employment but who otherwise satisfy the requirements for payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Social Welfare (Dr. Woods):

In general unemployed people are required to be available for and seeking full-time work to be entitled to unemployment benefit. However, people in part-time employment can in certain circumstances qualify for unemployment benefit in respect of days when they cannot get work. Benefit in these cases is payable at a daily pro rata rate being onesixth of the weekly rate of benefit. Benefit can only be payable where there are three days of unemployment in any six days, excluding Sundays. Such people are expected to be available for and seeking full-time work and must satisfy the normal contribution conditions.

The Government have decided to give social insurance cover to more part-time workers. Last month I made regulations bringing part-time workers who earn £40 a week or more into the social insurance system, with effect from 6 April.

I have been reviewing the benefit entitlements of these part-time workers and others on low earnings and I am currently finalising detailed arrangements for the application of benefit rates to them on apro rata basis.

Michael Finucane

Question:

133 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment assistance is reduced considerably in the case of a wife drawing unemployment benefit; and his views on whether this is fair.

Minister for Social Welfare (Dr. Woods):

Social welfare legislation provides that in the case of a couple living together, where one spouse is in receipt of unemployment assistance and the other unemployment benefit, the total amount payable to the household cannot exceed the amount which would be payable if one spouse were claiming and the other were an adult dependant. This provision was brought into operation in 1986 in the context of the legislation on equal treatment for men and women in the social welfare code.

A review group on the treatment of households in the social welfare system was set up in May 1989 to examine the social welfare code in so far as it affects households with particular regard to the equal treatment provisions. The issue raised by the Deputy is one of the issues which has been addressed by the review group.

The group have completed their review of the present arrangements and I expect to receive their report shortly.