Vol. 501 No. 3
289 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the plans, if any, he has to extend the orphans allowance to a child over the age of 22 years who is still in full-time education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5754/99]
As with all long-term schemes, payment of the orphan's (contributory) allowance continues up to 22 years of age where a child is in full-time education by day at a recognised educational establishment. Payment is made up to the end of the academic year in which the child reaches the age of 22.
I consider this upper age threshold to be reasonable and have no plans to change it.
290 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the reason payment of a non-contributory pension did not issue in the week of the death of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo; and if the payment can now issue to the next of kin. [5804/99]
The person concerned was in receipt of old age non-contributory pension up to the time of his death on Wednesday, 13 January 1999.
Pensions are paid weekly in advance on the Friday of each week. The person concerned received his full entitlement up to and including Thursday, 14 January 1999. There is, therefore, no balance of pension due in this case.
291 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will introduce regulations for the back-to-work scheme which would allow applicants to lodge appeals in relation to the operation of the scheme and including, for example, an appeal of the ruling that a worker will be allowed only one re-start to retain his back-to-work allowance while moving from job to job. [5827/99]
The objective of the back-to-work allowance scheme is to provide a financial incentive to long-term unemployed people, who could not otherwise do so, to return to work and it has been most successful in this regard.
The scheme is non-statutory and, consequently, decisions cannot be appealed to the social welfare appeals office. All appeals are determined centrally by a more senior officer to ensure consistency.
The scheme is aimed at people taking up stable employment or self-employment. Consequently work of an occasional, temporary or casual nature, short-term, seasonal work or work of a contractual or commission nature does not qualify for the scheme. If for any reason a person loses his/her job, payment of the allowance is suspended, and returned to the live register. However, the allowance is restored if he/she obtains further employment which satisfies the criteria. The scheme is not, however, for situations where people who take up work intermittently.
