Noel Ahern
Question:98 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason persons (details supplied) in Dublin 7 were refused assistance under the mortgage interest supplement scheme as they seem to qualify under the normal guidelines.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme a weekly supplement can be paid towards rent or mortgage interest payments. Generally speaking a supplement would be payable where a person with a mortgage is unable because of unemployment, sickness or other reason, to meet the interest repayments. In such cases a supplement may be paid where the rent or mortgage interest exceeds £5 per week. The maximum amount of supplement payable would be such as to ensure that the client has, after the payment of rent or mortgage interest, an income equal to the rate of supplementary welfare allowance, appropriate to his family circumstances less £5.
I understand from the Eastern Health Board, which is responsible for the administration of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme in the Dublin area, that the people concerned were refused a mortgage supplement as their income, after mortgage interest payments, exceeds that level.
Noel Ahern
Question:99 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Social Welfare if, in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9, who has not worked since 1979 but who has a small private allowance which is below the social welfare limit for unemployment assistance for a married couple, he will give details of the assistance that his Department can now offer; and whether he qualifies for disability or invalidity benefit/pension.
In order to qualify for disability benefit or invalidity pension, applicants must satisfy certain statutory contribution conditions, one of which requires them to have had at least 39 PRSI contributions paid or credited in a recent contribution year which governs their claim. It is understood that no contributions have been recorded on behalf of the person concerned since 1979 and therefore he is no longer eligible for payment under the disability benefit or invalidity pension schemes on the basis of his current PRSI record.
However, subject to receipt of suitable medical evidence confirming the nature and extent of incapacity, I will arrange to have the possibility of awarding credited contributions for the intervening period examined and his eligibility for disability benefit or invalidity pension can be reassessed when the outcome is known.
Unemployment assistance is payable to unemployed persons whose means fall below a certain level and who are capable of, available for and genuinely seeking employment. If the person concerned satisfies these conditions, he should contact his social welfare office which will provide any necessary advice or assistance with his application in this regard.
A person who is incapable of work because of illness or incapacity would not normally qualify for unemployment assistance but may be entitled to payment under the disabled person's maintenance allowance or supplementary welfare allowance schemes. Further information in this regard can be obtained from the local health board.
Noel Ahern
Question:100 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will restore a free telephone rental allowance to a person (details supplied).
One of the conditions for receipt of free telephone rental allowance is that the applicant must reside alone or only with certain excepted categories of people. Such categories comprise children under age 15 and/or other person (s) who are so permanently incapacitated that they cannot summon assistance in an emergency.
A carer is residing with the person concerned and as such is providing fulltime care and attention to the pensioner. The carer, who is in receipt of a carer's allowance from my Department, cannot be regarded as a person coming within the excepted category of people who may reside with a free telephone rental allowance recipient. For this reason, the free telephone rental allowance of the pensioner was withdrawn with effect from 1 October 1991. Any change in this condition would have to be considered in a budgetary context.
If the circumstances of the person concerned change, it is open to her to reapply for the allowance at any time.