Written Answers. - Equality Payments.
Theresa Ahearn
Question:
43
Mrs. T. Ahearn
asked the
Minister for Social Welfare
the percentage of eligible applicants who have been paid their entitlement under the EC Equality Directive for the years from 1984 to 1986; the reason for the delay in these payments; and if he has satisfied himself that applicants are receiving full co-operation.
The provisions for paying equal treatment arrears to married women for the period December 1984 to November 1986 are contained in the European Communities (Social Welfare) Regulations, 1992 (S.I. No. 152 of 1992). The regulations provide for (a) the payment of a higher personal rate in the case of certain social welfare payments, (b) the extended duration of unemployment benefit, (c) payment of a household supplement in respect of a dependent husband and/or dependent children and (d) payment of unemployment assistance.
In accordance with the legislative provisions payment of arrears is being made on a phased basis in 1992, 1993 and 1994. Phase 1 provides for the payment of arrears in respect of the higher personal rates and extended duration of unemployment benefit while phase 2 provides for the payment of arrears of household supplement in respect of dependants and the payment of unemployment assistance. The legislation provides for phase 2 arrears to be paid in two equal instalments — the first instalment to be paid not later than 31 December 1993 and the second instalment to be paid not later than 1 July 1994 with amounts of less than £100 to be paid in full in 1993. A total of 85,100 applications for equal treatment arrears were received and all these have been processed for phase 1 entitlement except for a small number of cases where additional inquiries had to be made to determine entitlement. Some 17,000 applicants were not eligible for phase 1 payments. These consisted mainly of widows, wives separated from their husbands and married women who had no claims or who were single during the relevant period. A small number of claims are still being received each week and these claims, while technically late, are being accepted. The number of applicants eligible for phase 1 payments was 67,464 and 67,121 have been paid. Payments are issued once a week.
Processing of arrears of household supplement due under phase 2 of the provisions commenced last April. To date some 15,500 applications have been processed. Of those 9,800 were entitled to payment and the remaining 5,700 were not entitled to household supplement. Those not entitled to household supplement fall into two categories — (A) a married women with no child dependants and whose husband was not considered a dependant because he was earning in excess of £50 a week, and (B) a married women whose husband was in receipt of a social welfare payment during the relevant period. As regards the latter category the husband received the full household supplement for child dependants on his claim at the time and in such cases the household supplement is deemed to be fully paid to both spouses. A total of 8,820 applicants have received their phase 2 entitlements. A further 70,000 claims have yet to be determined for phase 2 entitlements. Based on experience to date between 60 per cent and 70 per cent of these cases will be eligible for payment.
In summary almost 100 per cent of eligible phase 1 claims received have been paid. As regards phase 2 cases, 15,500 have been examined and 63 per cent of those will be eligible and will be paid promptly after determination. A further 70,000 cases will be reviewed for phase 2 entitlements over the next six-seven months and eligible cases will be paid promptly.
I am satisfied that every possible effort has been made to ensure that all married women with entitlement to equal treatment arrears are paid the moneys due to them. In this context when the legislation was introduced last year claimants with potential entitlement to arrears were identified from my Department's records and issued with personalised claim forms. An extensive advertising campaign was also carried out in the media at the time inviting applications. A special section was set up in my Department to process the applications and deal with inquiries relating to the provisions. Payment of arrears is not subject to delay and is being made within the timescale contained in the provisions.
