Vol. 413 No. 5
113 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will direct disability benefit to be paid to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 12 who has worked for the same employer since August 1989 and who is out of work sick for the past four weeks but who has been denied disability benefit since his Department claim that she only has four weeks contributions.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 21 October 1991 to 11 November 1991. To be entitled to disability benefit in respect of her claim she would be required to have at least 39 contributions, at the appropriate rate, paid or credited in the 1989-90 tax year, i.e. from 6 April 1989 to 5 April 1990.
According to my Department's records she has only four paid contributions in the 1989-90 tax year. In addition, she was awarded 18 pre-entry credits from 6 April 1989 to 14 August 1989, the latter date being the date of her entry into insurable employment. As her total of paid and credited contributions was only 22, her claim to disability benefit was not allowed.
She has 41 contributions paid at the A1 rate in the 1990-91 year. However, this is not of value for a claim made in 1991.
114 Mr. Byrne asked the Minister for Social Welfare if his attention has been drawn to the anomaly whereby persons in receipt of the lone parent's allowance who wish to sign on for credits must make themselves available for work in order to qualify; his views on whether this requirement discriminates against men and women who, as lone parents, cannot work because of the domestic situation with their children; and if he will remove this obligation and allow lone parents the automatic right to sign on for credits.
The main purpose of credited contributions is to maintain a person's social insurance record when they are unable to pay contributions because of unemployment or incapacity for work. Persons who have no previous record of insurance cannot be awarded credited contributions. The question of making provision under the social insurance system for people who have to give up work for family reasons, including the question of awarding credits in that situation, is under consideration and the issue raised by the Deputy will be examined in that context.
115 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in confirming details sought in respect of the pension entitlements of a late applicant (details supplied) in County Mayo.
Solicitors for the deceased pensioner have furnished a schedule of assets relating to his estate. The case is being examined to determine if any over payment of old age non-contributory pension has occurred. In this connection, my Department have recently written to the solicitors to seek further clarification of some financial details.
Due to pressure of other work, there was some delay in dealing with the file in this case. Every effort will be made to finalise the case quickly. I will communicate this decision to the Deputy.
116 Mr. E. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will be called for an oral hearing in respect of her appeal for a higher rate of payment of unemployment assistance.
The means of the person concerned were reviewed from 16 October 1991 and she was assessed at a weekly rate of £20.75 per week derived from the benefit of the board and lodging at home. The assessment was based on her father's social welfare retirement pension and his occupational pension. She appealed this decision to the independent social welfare appeals office on 24 October 1991. Earlier this week an appeals officer reduced her means to £10 per week with effect from 16 October 1991. As a result, the person concerned is now entitled to a payment of £40 per week. She is being notified of the appeals officer's decision.
117 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social Welfare the estimated cost of extending the Christmas bonus week to persons who are on disability benefit for 15 months or more; and if he will make a statement on the possibility of extending the bonus to include this category.
The Christmas bonus was introduced originally in 1980 for those in receipt of social welfare pensions and other long term payments. It was subsequently extended to include the long term unemployed. The cost of the bonus this year is £28 million, an increase of £2.4 million on last year. It will be paid during the first week in December and, for the third year running, the bonus will constitute 70 per cent of normal weekly payments. Almost a million people will benefit i.e. 620,000 people on long term social welfare payments and their 360,000 dependants.
There are currently 27,000 persons in receipt of disability benefit for 15 months or more from my Department. The cost of extending the Christmas bonus payment to include this category would be £1.3 million and there are no plans at present for such an extension. However, the long term sick in receipt of invalidity pension are covered for the bonus.
118 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Social Welfare if disability benefit will be made payable to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 12 who was out of work sick for a three week period during September, October and November and has submitted all relevant details to his Department on two occasions, the details which appear to have been mislaid; and who now has to submit this documentation for a third time.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 8 October 1991 to 12 October 1991 and from 22 October 1991 to 5 November 1991.
119 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to have a date set for an oral hearing for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal whose disability benefit has been reduced.
The person concerned was examined by the medical referee on 11 June 1991 for disablement benefit purposes. Her degree of disablement was reduced from 60 per cent to 20 per cent from 28 June 1991 to 12 December 1991, as a result of this examination.
The person concerned was notified of this decision and given the right to appeal. She appealed this decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office, and her case has been listed for oral hearing in week commencing 9 December 1991.
