Vol. 406 No. 8
46 Mr. S. Barrett asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Dublin lost his invalidity pension on 3 January 1991; if he will confirm that evidence was given orally and in writing to his Department, at the end of January 1991 confirming that this person has not been working since the pension was awarded; and if he will arrange for the immediate restoration of the pension.
The person concerned was in receipt of invalidity pension from 12 September 1985. In September 1990, my Department became aware that he may have been working as a security person on a building site. He was interviewed by social welfare inspectors on 27 September 1990. He denied then that he had been working. However, following further investigations it appeared that he was, in fact, working at this site. In October 1990 inspectors interviewed the client who admitted that he had been working on the site for the previous six weeks.
Because he was working whilst claiming invalidity pension, payment of pension was disallowed from 1 September 1990, the date from which he admitted working. His payment was stopped on 3 January 1991.
He appealed against this decision on 8 January 1991 claiming that he was not working at the site. He submitted medical evidence in support of his claim to be medically incapable of work. The matter has been referred to the independent social welfare appeals office who will shortly be contacting him directly concerning his appeal.
If the person concerned is incapable of work and is not now working, he should claim disability benefit by submitting medical certificates to my Department.
47 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Social welfare the reason a claim made by a person (details supplied) in Dublin 14 for an old age contributory pension was not successful; and if all necessary steps will be taken, and the necessary legislative changes made in current Social Welfare Acts so as to grant to the applicant the old age contributory pension he is seeking.
The person concerned applied for old age contributory pension but his claim was disallowed because his yearly average of reckonable contributions is less than the minimum of 20 reckonable contributions required to qualify for a pension. The person concerned worked abroad for several years and his employment during that period was deemed not to be insurable under the Social Welfare Acts. He has appealed this decision and his case has been referred to an appeals officer for consideration. An oral hearing will be held at the earliest possible date.
