Olivia Mitchell
Question:554 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if a person (details supplied) in Dublin 14 qualifies for a pro rata pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8986/98]
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
With effect from November 1997, the new system of pro rata contributory old age pension is available to people who have a yearly average of between ten and 20 social insurance contributions paid or credited over their full record of insurable employment. To qualify for this pro rata pension a person also needs to have paid a minimum of 260 paid social insurance contributions.
The person concerned applied for pension on 4 January 1998. According to the records of the Department, he has a total of 180 social insurance contributions paid in the 34-year period from 1953-87. This is insufficient to qualify him for a pro rata old age contributory pension. His claim was disallowed on this basis. This decision was conveyed by the Department to the person concerned in a letter dated 16 February 1998 and a copy of that letter was issued to him on 3 april 1998.
Richard Bruton
Question:555 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if his Department will grant free travel to an additional category of people who have not yet reached retirement age but are permanently incapable of work, that is those who have been forced to retire early due to ill health, but were not covered by class A insurance. [8987/98]
The free travel scheme is available to all people living in the State aged 66 years or over and to certain people with disabilities under that age who are in receipt of certain welfare type payments. The scheme provides free travel, primarily at off-peak periods, to eligible people on the main public and private transport services. At the end of last January, about 505,000 people qualified for free travel at an annual cost of £33 million.
Any extension of the scheme, on the lines suggested by the Deputy would involve additional expenditure which could only be examined in a budgetary context.
Emmet Stagg
Question:556 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs his views on whether it is acceptable for post offices to refuse to cash social welfare cheques payable to people in receipt of unemployment assistance, particularly in villages where there are no banks available; his further views on the charging of 30 pence by post offices and banks to cash social welfare disability benefit cheques; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9110/98]
Unemployment payments are generally paid at post offices through the postdraft system. Only 16 per cent are paid by cheque. An Post does not provide a cheque encashment facility per se for any of its customers, except in relation to cheques lodged in full to post office savings bank accounts. No transaction fee is charged for this service. A person who is having difficulty in cashing an unemployment payment cheque may apply to have the payment method changed to one which is more convenient.
All disability benefit payments are paid by cheques and the majority (70 per cent) are cashed at retail outlets. As already indicated, An Post does not provide an encashment service for disability benefit cheques. The level of fees charged by the associated banks in respect of cheque lodgement or encashment services is not a matter for which my Department has responsibility.
Pádraic McCormack
Question:558 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if a self-employed person, who is paying the flat rate of PRSI contributions and is over 56 on 6 April 1988, can pay arrears of flat rate PRSI contributions arising between that date and the date of reaching his 66 birthday to enable him to qualify for a contributory old age pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9115/98]
This issue is part of the general issue regarding the position of self-employed people who were over age 56 on the extension of social insurance to the self-employed in April 1988.
As I have indicated many times recently in the House, I will continue to ensure the broadest possible contributory pension cover to as many categories as possible. I have asked my Department to examine the general issue relating to the self-employed group aged over 56 in April 1988 including the proposal raised by the Deputy. However, I stress that any proposals would, as I have indicated previously, have a major cost implication and, therefore, would fall to be considered in a budgetary context.