Ned O'Keeffe
Question:135 Mr. E. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a free telephone rental allowance has not yet been credited to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
The application by the person concerned for a free telephone rental allowance was approved with effect from the date on which his telephone was installed — 3 May 1990.
However, due to an administrative error, my department failed to notify Telecom Éireann of his entitlement to a free telephone rental allowance. The matter is being remedied as a priority and Telecom Éireann have already been contacted about the case. A full credit for the rental charged from May onwards will be applied to the account at the earliest opportunity.
Ned O'Keeffe
Question:136 Mr. E. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a prisoner's wife's allowance will be approved in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned has been awarded a lone parent's allowance of £73.50 per week and a fuel allowance of £5 per week with effect from 10 January 1991. The lone parent's allowance scheme which I introduced last year incorporates the prisoner's wife's allowance scheme.
A payment book containing payable orders from 7 March 1991 has been issued to her local post office.
Arrears of lone parent's allowance covering the period from 10 January 1991 to 6 March 1991 less supplementary welfare allowance paid during this period will be issued to the person concerned as quickly as possible.
Austin Deasy
Question:137 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit was disallowed to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford in view of the fact that she has been working consistently for many years and has the required contributions; and if he will have this case re-examined.
The person concerned submitted a claim to disability benefit on 2 January 1991. She has not submitted any evidence or statement as to the duration of her incapacity. She has been asked to furnish a statement from her employer indicating the period she was absent from work.
Pearse Wyse
Question:138 Mr. Wyse asked the Minister for Social Welfare the amount of money collected in respect of the self-employed for pension provision for the years 1988, 1989 and 1990.
The amounts of money collected in respect of PRSI for the self-employed for the provision of old age pensions and widows and orphans pensions in the years specified were as follows: £21.8 million in 1988, £46.4 million in 1989 and £52.4 million in 1990.