Vol. 431 No. 7
47 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Social Welfare if, in view of the limited job opportunities on offshore islands, he will consider exempting third level students and school leavers on Arranmore Island, County Donegal from the provisions of the 1993 Social Welfare Act and restore unemployment assistance to them.
Section 14 of the Social Welfare Act, 1993, provides that students in full-time education will no longer be eligible to receive unemployment assistance except in special circumstances. Regulations are currently being drafted which will exempt categories such as mature students and students participating in education schemes for the long term unemployed.
I also propose to make special arrangements for students living at home who cannot get work under the new summer jobs scheme and whose family is dependent on a social welfare payment.
The new summer jobs scheme for students will cater for full-time students who cannot get summer jobs and who are no longer eligible to receive unemployment assistance during their summer holidays by virtue of this year's Social Welfare Act.
Essentially, the new scheme will operate for ten weeks during the period 1 July to 30 September 1993 and will allow students who would formerly have been eligible for unemployment assistance of £15 or more per week to earn up to £400 over the ten week period of the scheme. Voluntary organisations, community groups and public bodies with suitable work will be able to participate as sponsors. Payment under the scheme will be made to participating students by the sponsors who will, in turn, be reimbursed by my Department.
48 Mr. Morley asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason the income from a farm which a person (details supplied) in County Mayo had to lease to his son for health reasons is still assessed against him as means for old age pension purposes.
The person concerned applied for on old age non-contributory pension in November 1991. During the investigation of his means which followed, it was established that he had leased his holding to his son for a five year period. This leasing arrangement was not accepted for old age pension purposes as the son, who is living and working in England is not considered to be in beneficial occupation of the holding. For this reason it was determined that the person concerned continued to be the beneficial owner of the property and in assessing his entitlement to pension the nett yearly value of the holding had to be taken into account in determining his means.
Based on his means derived from his holding and capital, it was decided that he was entitled to pension at the reduced rate of £38 per week inclusive of adult dependant allowance with effect from 20 December 1991. The rate of pension payable with effect from 30 July 1993 will be £49.70 a week. The person concerned appealed this decision to the social welfare appeals office. Following an oral hearing of his case in April 1993, at which medical evidence was submitted, the appeals officer disallowed the appeal and ruled that the rate of pension in payment was correct.
