Madeleine Taylor-Quinn
Question:319 Mrs. Taylor-Quinn asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will grant the single woman's allowance to a person (details supplied) in County Clare.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
The person concerned was awarded a single women's allowance of £36 per week with effect from 18 July 1991. This rate of payment increased to £39.00 per week from 25 July 1991 due to budgetary provisions. She was notified in writing of the decision.
A payable order book issued to the person concerned on 14 August 1991. The book is being cashed.
Madeleine Taylor-Quinn
Question:320 Mrs. Taylor-Quinn asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will grant full unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Clare.
The person concerned claimed unemployment assistance on 22 May 1991. His means, derived from the yearly value accruing to him from his farm were assessed at £105.80 per week. As this level of means exceeds the maximum rate payable in his case he was not entitled to payment of unemployment assistance.
He has appealed the means assessed against him. Arising from information supplied by him in connection with his appeal a social welfare officer has been asked for a further report on his circumstances. When this report is received, his appeal will be resubmitted to the independent social welfare appeals office.
Madeleine Taylor-Quinn
Question:321 Mrs. Taylor-Quinn asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will grant a free fuel allowance to a person (details supplied) in County Clare.
The person concerned receives a widow's contributory pension at the maximum rate of £58.20 per week plus a living alone allowance of £4.30 per week. She also has the free telephone rental allowance and holds a travel pass.
In order to qualify for a free fuel allowance, a person must satisfy certain conditions. One of these conditions requires that a claimant's means, other than his/her contributory social welfare pension, cannot exceed £5 per week.
The person concerned applied for free fuel allowance in October 1990. Her claim had to be rejected as she is also in receipt of a British pension in excess of £5 per week. She was advised of the result of her application at the time she applied.
Madeleine Taylor-Quinn
Question:322 Mrs. Taylor-Quinn asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a free telephone rental allowance has been granted to a person (details supplied) in County Clare.
There is no record of an application for free telephone rental allowance having being received in my Department from either of the persons concerned.
An application form issued on 10 October 1991. When this is completed and returned to the Department a decision on their entitlement to this allowance will be made. The applicants will then be notified of the outcome.
Madeleine Taylor-Quinn
Question:323 Mrs. Taylor-Quinn asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will grant a free fuel allowance to a person (details supplied) in County Clare.
The person concerned will be paid a free fuel allowance of £5.00 per week from 18 October 1991 — the commencement date of the 1991-92 heating season. The person concerned received the fuel allowance in earlier years and it will continue to be paid each year unless his circumstances change.
A payable order book including this payment issued to him on 23 August 1991.
Madeleine Taylor-Quinn
Question:324 Mrs. Taylor-Quinn asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will grant smallholder's assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Clare.
The person concerned is currently particpating in a social employment scheme which will cease in March 1992.
He receives payments of £127.50 per week under this scheme which substantially exceeds his current entitlement to unemployment assistance.
He may, if he wishes, renew his claim to unemployment assistance when the social employment scheme is completed.
Madeleine Taylor-Quinn
Question:325 Mrs. Taylor-Quinn asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will grant full unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Clare.
Following investigation, the unemployment assistance of the person concerned was disallowed from 22 April 1991 on the grounds that she failed to disclose full details of her means. In particular she failed to provide the social welfare officer with details of her parents' holding. It was open to the person concerned to appeal against this decision if dissatified; however she did not exercise her right to so.
She last signed the unemployed register on 30 July 1991 and has not been in touch with her local office since that date.
Madeleine Taylor-Quinn
Question:326 Mrs. Taylor-Quinn asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will issue payment of the single person's allowance to a person (details supplied) in County Clare.
The person concerned was awarded a single women's allowance with effect from 9 May 1991 — the Thursday following her 58th birthday. She was notified in writing of this decision.
A payment book containing payable orders of £50 per week from 4 July 1991, increasing to £53 per week from 25 July 1991, issued to the person concerned on 29 August 1991. The book is being cashed.
A payable order for £400 covering arrears for the period from 9 May 1991 to 3 July 1991 issued to the person concerned on 9 October 1991.
Madeleine Taylor-Quinn
Question:327 Mrs. Taylor-Quinn asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will grant unemployment benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Clare.
The person in question applied for unemployment benefit on 12 August 1991. Entitlement to unemployment benefit is subject to the condition, inter alia, that the claimant must have at least 39 contributions, whether paid or credited, in the governing contribution year. According to the records of my Department she had only 37 credited contributions during the period 6 April 1989 to 5 April 1990 which is the governing contribution year for her claim of 12 August 1991. Accordingly her claim cannot be allowed.
Madeleine Taylor-Quinn
Question:328 Mrs. Taylor-Quinn asked the Minister for Social Welfare when he intends issuing full unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Clare.
The person in question applied for unemployment assistance in July 1991. Following investigation of his claim by a social welfare officer, a deciding officer assessed his means at £38.10 per week. This assessment entitles him to a weekly rate of unemployment assistance at £11.90.
On 24 September 1991 he appealed the assessment and his case has been referred to the independent social welfare appeals office.
Madeleine Taylor-Quinn
Question:329 Mrs. Taylor-Quinn asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will have an increase in unemployment assistance plus back money issued immediately to a person (details supplied) in County Clare.
The person concerned claimed unemployment assistance on 30 May 1991. His means, derived from the net yearly value of his farm and from capital were assessed at £45.20 per week. As this assessment exceeded the maximum rate payable of £45.00 in his case, he was not entitled to unemployment assistance.
On 24 July following the implementation of the budget increases the maximum rate payable in his case increased to £50.00 per week and he became entitled to a weekly payment of £4.80. He was paid from 24 July and no arrears are due.
He has been advised of his right of appeal and an appeal form has been issued to him.
Madeleine Taylor-Quinn
Question:330 Mrs. Taylor-Quinn asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will issue an increase in unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Clare.
The person in question has been claiming unemployment assistance since 19 March 1985. On 2 August 1991 she applied for an adult dependant increase in respect of her husband.
Her case was sent to the local social welfare officer for review. He has investigated her case and he is awaiting confirmation of outstanding details of her husband's income. When this information is obtained the case will be forwarded to a deciding officer for decision.
Madeleine Taylor-Quinn
Question:331 Mrs. Taylor-Quinn asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will issue full unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Clare.
Following investigation, a deciding officer assessed the means of the person concerned at £86.50 per week from 30 July 1991. The means are derived from the benefit of her husband's income.
The means assessment and the rules relating to entitlement for increases for dependants mean that she is only entitled to receive £17.70 per week.
She appealed against the means assessment and her case has been referred back to the local social welfare officer for further inquiries. When these are completed her case will be decided by the independent social welfare appeals office.
Madeleine Taylor-Quinn
Question:332 Mrs. Taylor-Quinn asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will issue arrears of the lone parent's allowance to a person (details supplied) in County Clare.
The arrears due in this case issued to the person concerned on 12 September 1991.
The amount £495.10, represents the net arrears of lone parent allowance payable in respect of the period from 22 November 1990 to 10 July 1991, after adjustment for supplementary welfare allowance amounting to £1,746 which was paid to her during that period. No further arrears are due.
Madeleine Taylor-Quinn
Question:333 Mrs. Taylor-Quinn asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will issue the full increase in old age pension to a person (details supplied) in County Clare.
The person concerned applied for old age non-contributory pension in January 1991. Following investigation, the application was rejected by a deciding officer as his weekly means of £58.06 exceeded the then statutory limit of £56.00 per week. The means assessed are derived from farm holding and capital.
This decision was appealed by the claimant in April 1991 and his case was referred to an independent appeals officer for determination. The appeals officer determined on 19 July 1991 that the person concerned was not entitled to an old age pension up to 25 July 1991. However, with effect from 26 July 1991 the appeals officer assessed the person's means at £57 per week — just below the new statutory limit of £58 per week. This entitled him to a reduced old age non-contributory pension of £3 per week, plus an adult dependant allowance of £2 per week from that date.
The decisions of appeals officers are final and I have no power to alter their decisions. If the person's circumstances change, he can apply for a review at that time and his entitlement will be reinvestigated.
A pension book containing payable orders from 26 July 1991 will be available for collection by the person concerned at his local post office shortly.
Madeleine Taylor-Quinn
Question:334 Mrs. Taylor-Quinn asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will issue unemployment assistance and arrears to a person (details supplied) in County Clare.
The person concerned has been awarded unemployment assistance at the rate of £28.30 per week. This rate takes account of her family status and her husband's income.
She was receiving supplementary welfare allowance up to the end of September at a rate which equalled or exceeded the rate of unemployment assistance applicable in her case. Accordingly, there are no arrears due to her. Payment of unemployment assistance will continue to be made while the general conditions are fulfilled.
The person concerned has appealed against the means assessment and the case will be fully reviewed by an independent appeals officer.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will issue full old age pension to a person (details supplied) in County Clare.
The person concerned applied for old age non-contributory pension on 30 August 1991.
Following an investigation of his means, he was awarded a reduced rate non-contributory pension of £21 per week with effect from 30 August 1991 — the date on which he lodged his application to pension. This is the rate of pension appropriate to his means, derived from casual self-employment, which have been assessed at £40 per week.
He was also awarded a free fuel allowance of £5 per week from 18 October 1991 — the start of the 1991-92 heating season.
His pension book, payable from 25 October 1991, will be available for collection at his local post office by Friday 18 October 1991. Any arrears due will issue to him as soon as possible.
Madeleine Taylor-Quinn
Question:336 Mrs. Taylor-Quinn asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will issue the living alone allowance to a person (details supplied) in County Clare.
The person concerned has not lodged an application for living alone allowance.
According to the information available to my Department, the person concerned has a British pension and is unlikely to qualify for a means-tested Irish pension. She does not have an established entitlement to a pension under the Social Welfare Acts and she is not, therefore, entitled to the living alone supplement. She does, however, qualify for free travel and the free electricity and telephone rental allowances which have been awarded to her for some time.
Madeleine Taylor-Quinn
Question:337 Mrs. Taylor-Quinn asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will issue the full rate of smallholder's assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Clare.
The person concerned has been assessed with means of £48.80 per week. The assessment in this case was made by an independent appeals officer. Accordingly he is not entitled to receive the full rate of unemployment assistance, it has been paid at the rate of £1.20 per week since 24 July 1991, when rates of unemployment assistance generally were increased as a result of the changes announced in the budget.
If the person concerned believes that his means have decreased since the last investigation it is open to him to apply for a reinvestigation of his case.
Madeleine Taylor-Quinn
Question:338 Mrs. Taylor-Quinn asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will restore full unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Clare.
Following reinvestigation, a deciding officer assessed the means of the person concerned at £62.00 a week from 2 August 1991. His means are derived from the net yearly value of his holding.
This assessment leaves him entitled to unemployment assistance at the weekly rate of £50 which is the difference between the maximum rate payable to a married person, with an adult and two child dependants, and his means.
He appealed against the decision and his case was referred to the independent social welfare appeals office for decision on 1 October 1991. When a decision is given he will be informed of the outcome without delay.
Madeleine Taylor-Quinn
Question:339 Mrs. Taylor-Quinn asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will have unemployment assistance paid to a person (details supplied) in County Clare.
The person in question applied for unemployment assistance on 10 September 1991. Following investigation by the local social welfare officer, a deciding officer has decided that her means, derived from her husband's income, exceed the statutory limit for receipt of unemployment assistance.
The person concerned has been notified of this decision and has been advised of her right to appeal against this decision to the independent social welfare appeals office.
Madeleine Taylor-Quinn
Question:340 Mrs. Taylor-Quinn asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will issue payment of old age pension to a person (details supplied) in County Clare.
The person concerned applied for an old age non-contributory pension in May 1991.
Following investigation by a social welfare officer, it was decided on 2 August 1991 that the person concerned was not entitled to a pension as her means had not been fully disclosed.
Further information was furnished by the person concerned on 21 August 1991. Her case is at present with the social welfare officer for reinvestigation. It is expected that the reinvestigation will be finalised soon.
As soon as inquiries are completed, her case will be referred to a deciding officer for a revised decision. She will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible.
Madeleine Taylor-Quinn
Question:341 Mrs. Taylor-Quinn asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will issue full payment of unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Clare.
The person in question had his means reviewed on 1 May 1991 and as a result a deciding officer assessed means of £50 per week against him with effect from that date. This entitled him to unemployment assistance at the weekly rate of £5.
He appealed against this decision and his appeal was decided by an appeals officer on 9 October 1991 who reduced the weekly means assessment to £38.50. This leaves the person concerned entitled to unemployment assistance at the weekly rate of £16.50.