Vol. 480 No. 6
383 Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will increase the income scale of eligibility which applies to the back to school clothing and footwear scheme in view of the fact that many parents have in 1997 been disallowed this allowance. [14356/97]
The back to school clothing and footwear allowance scheme, which is administered on behalf of my Department by the health boards, is designed to assist certain recipients of social welfare and health board payments with the cost of children's school uniforms and footwear. Certain people on low incomes who are in receipt of family income supplement may also qualify for assistance. In order to qualify for the allowance, the claim must be in respect of a qualified child, the person must be in receipt of a qualifying payment and must satisfy a specified means test. The income limit for receipt of the back to school clothing and footwear allowance in 1997 is as follows:
|
Couple with |
Income Limit |
Lone Parent with |
Income Limited |
|
£ |
£ |
||
|
1 child |
149.20 * |
1 child |
93.10 ** |
384 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will review the decision to refuse a person (details supplied) in Dublin 10 a deserted wife's allowance in view of the fact that she was unaware that she would qualify for this allowance due to the fact that she was employed at the time she was deserted but her circumstances have now changed. [14433/97]
A new payment - the one parent family payment - was introduced from 2 January 1997. This scheme replaces the existing lone parent's allowance and incorporates the deserted wife's benefit and allowance schemes. Where a separated spouse makes a claim after 2 January 1997, his-her entitlement must be considered under the legislation applying to the new scheme. The person concerned claimed one parent family payment on 21 February 1997. To qualify for this payment, she must have a dependent child living with her. As the person concerned does not satisfy this condition, payment on her claim had to be refused.
The person concerned did not claim deserted wife's benefit or allowance prior to January 1997 when those schemes were replaced. Further inquiries are being made at present into the circumstances giving rise to her failure to make a claim. When these inquiries are completed the question as to whether a claim can now be accepted will be determined.
385 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if all persons signing off the live register to go back to work will be advised of the back to work allowance and the appropriate application form given to them; and if a person (details supplied) in Dublin 10 who was not made so aware will now be granted the back-to-work allowance. [14434/97]
The objective of the back-to-work allowance scheme is to provide a financial incentive to return to the active labour force to long-term unemployed people. The scheme has a limited number of places and is targeted at people who need an additional financial incentive to return to the workforce. It is a requirement of the scheme that an applicant must apply for the allowance prior to taking up employment.
The person concerned took up employment on 19 May 1997 but did not apply for the allowance until 23 August 1997. Her application was refused on the grounds that she had been able to obtain employment without recourse to the scheme.
387 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will review the decision to refuse unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 7. [14439/97]
Entitlement to unemployment assistance is subject to the conditions that a person must be available for and genuinely seeking employment. The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed from 16 June 1997 on the grounds that she was not available for and not genuinely seeking employment. She appealed this decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office and on 4 September 1997 an appeals officer also disallowed her claim. An appeals officer's decision is final in the absence of fresh evidence.
The person concerned has applied for one parent family payment and the application is being processed. She will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible.
388 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will have arrangements made for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 7 to be paid the back-to-work allowance. [14440/97]
The objective of the back-to-work allowance scheme is to provide a financial incentive to long-term unemployed people to return to the active labour force. The scheme is designed to encourage persons who have been without a job for more than 12 months and who are unable to get employment to return to work by providing them with a financial incentive to do so. It is not intended for people who are able to return to work without such an incentive. It is a requirement of the scheme that an applicant must apply for the allowance prior to taking up employment.
The person concerned took up employment on 9 May 1997 but did not apply for the allowance until 3 July 1997. His application was refused on the grounds that it was late and that he had been able to return to work without recourse to the scheme.
389 Mr. Boylan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cavan has not been paid unemployment benefit; the reason this person is penalised because his Department assesses him at having in excess of £ 10 from self-employment; the benefit this person is entitled to, having made contributions for a number of years; and the reason unemployment benefit is means-tested in his case. [14449/97]
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 28 March 1997. He had been employed as a school bus driver and was laid off for the Easter school holiday period. In addition to his occupation as a school bus driver, he is also a self-employed farmer.
Where a person claiming unemployment benefit has another occupation, he can only qualify for benefit if his remuneration from that other occupation does not exceed £ 10 a day or if he has paid at least 117 contributions in the previous three years. As the person did not fulfil either of these conditions his claim was disallowed.
The person concerned does not qualify for unemployment assistance as his weekly means of £ 114 exceeds the limit for entitlement in his case.
391 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will extend the carer's allowance scheme to members of religious institutions who look after elderly members of their community; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14457/97]
394 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the proposals, if any, he has to amend the carer's allowance scheme in order that in certain cases where there is heavy intensive care being provided for very dependent relatives the means test could be waived. [14472/97]
400 Mr. Noonan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will review the regulations for the carers' allowance scheme to enable carers eligible for the allowance to spend short periods at work or in attendance at training or education courses without loss of eligibility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14695/97]
It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 391, 394 and 400 together.
392 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will extend the hours in relation to the free travel scheme for the elderly to allow them attend early morning and late afternoon hospital appointments and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14458/97]
The free travel scheme operated by my Department is available to all people living in the State aged 66 years or over, as well as certain people with disabilities under that age who are in receipt of certain social welfare type payments. The scheme provides free travel, primarily at off-peak periods, to eligible people on the main public and private transport services. Currently, about 497,000 people qualify for free travel at an estimated annual cost of £ 32.4 million.
Time restrictions have been a feature of the free travel scheme since its inception. They apply generally from 7 a.m. to 9.45 a.m. and from 4.30 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. Monday to Friday inclusive and on Bus Éireann long distance buses from 4 p.m. to 7 a.m. on Fridays for up to 20 miles out from Dublin, Cork or Limerick. They do not, however, apply in the case of mentally-handicapped people, those attending long-term rehabilitation courses and certain other people with disabilities.
Time restrictions have been put in place on city and provincial bus routes because the transport companies concerned are under severe pressure from commuters travelling to or from work or school in the morning and evening.
