Michael Ring
Question:660 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will have the result of an appeal concerning unemployment benefit. [18519/99]
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
An oral hearing of the person's appeal was arranged for Tuesday, 28 September 1999. The person concerned was notified of the arrangements on 16 September.
The outcome of the hearing will be notified to the person concerned within the next two to three weeks.
Michael Ring
Question:661 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive the results of his appeal for the farm assist scheme. [18518/99]
The person concerned was awarded farm assist at the weekly rate of £57.50 based on a means assessment of £16 derived from beneficial occupation of a holding. He appealed against this decision to the independent social welfare appeals office on 6 August 1999 and the assessment was reviewed by a social welfare investigator in the light of the grounds of appeal.
The appeal has now been referred to an appeals officer for consideration. The person concerned will be advised of the outcome shortly.
Michael Ring
Question:662 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs when a person (details supplied) in County Galway will receive a response to his application for the farm assist scheme. [18522/99]
A decision on the farm assist application from the person concerned was issued to him on 24 September, 1999. A deciding officer has assessed his weekly means at £48 for farm assist purposes, from 7 April 1999. This assessment entitles him to payment at the weekly rate of £25.50. He is also entitled to arrears of £312.50 which will be issued to him on the 30 September 1999.
Michael Ring
Question:663 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo is being discriminated against when other people doing the same job in the same circumstances as her are in receipt of unemployment assistance or unemployment benefit and she has been refused these payments. [18564/99]
Michael Ring
Question:671 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo has received a bill of £40.35 for overpayment of unemployment assistance; the way this figure was calculated; and if he will give a breakdown of all her social welfare payments. [17684/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 663 and 671 together.
One of the conditions for receipt of unemployment benefit requires that the claimant must have sustained a substantial loss of employment and income in the weeks in which he/she claims benefit.
The person concerned has worked intermittently and on a part-time basis since 1996. In considering her claims to benefit since November 1997, deciding officers have taken the view that she has not sustained a substantial loss of employment or income based on her previous employment history. Her claims were disallowed on that basis.
The person concerned appealed one of these decisions to the independent appeals office. However, the deciding officer's decision was upheld.
It is open to the person concerned to make an application for unemployment assistance, which is subject to a means test, for the days of the week on which she is not employed.
For the week commencing 6 July 1997, the person concerned was paid unemployment benefit at the rate of £80.70. As she had been in employment for three days during that week, the appropriate rate of payment was half that amount and consequently an overpayment of £40.35 arose. The amount of overpayment currently outstanding is £20.
The person concerned is not currently in receipt of a payment from the Department.
Michael Ring
Question:664 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the result of an application by a person (details supplied) in County Mayo for farm assist. [18563/99]
A decision on the farm assist application from the person concerned was issued to him on 3 September 1999.
A deciding officer has assessed his weekly means at £9 for farm assist purposes, from 7 April 1999. This assessment entitles him to payment at the weekly rate of £64.50. Arrears of £672 were issued to him on the 9 September 1999.
Michael Ring
Question:665 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the reason persons (details supplied) in County Galway have not received a family income supplement; and when this will be paid. [18568/99]
To qualify for family income supplement a couple with children must have a combined total of 38 hours work per fortnight, 19 hours per week, and the average weekly income of the household must be below a prescribed income limit, which varies with family size.
An application for family income supplement was received from the persons concerned on 28 July 1999. As the household income exceeded the prescribed income limit for a family with four children, their application was refused. They were notified of this decision, the reasons for it and of their right of appeal to the social welfare appeals office on the 31 August 1999.
Michael Ring
Question:666 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will be called for an appeal hearing. [18567/99]
An oral hearing of the appeal was arranged for Tuesday, 28 September 1999. The person concerned was notified of the arrangements on 16 September.
Noel Ahern
Question:668 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will alter the conditions for the granting of the free travel pass to allow applicants (details supplied) where the applicant cannot get about without a companion. [17649/99]
The free travel companion pass, which is available to certain people who are medically assessed as unfit to travel alone, enables a person 16 years of age or over to accompany the pass holder free of charge.
The person concerned is under 66 years of age and in receipt of an invalidity pension from my Department. Under the current free travel scheme conditions, invalidity pensioners may be entitled to a companion free travel pass if they are permanently confined to a wheelchair, or if a carer's allowance is in payment to people who are giving the applicants full-time care and attention, or if they are medically confirmed as visually impaired.
The person concerned has not applied for a companion free travel pass to date. If he wishes to apply for a companion free travel pass, he should submit medical evidence stating that he is permanently confined to a wheelchair or visually impaired to this Department and his entitlement will be reviewed immediately.
The free schemes were originally designed to benefit mainly older people in receipt of a social welfare type payment who were living alone and required additional assistance. However, over the years, additional categories of people have been included. A fundamental review of the free schemes, including companion free travel pass scheme, is under way to assess whether the objectives of these schemes are being achieved in the most effective and efficient manner and the qualifying conditions for the scheme will be examined as part of the review process.
Michael Ring
Question:669 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the reason a person in County Mayo (details supplied) has had a decrease of £18 under the farm assist scheme; and if he will be reassessed given the current crisis in sheep farming. [17677/99]
The person concerned was in receipt of unemployment assistance for smallholders at the weekly rate of £128.10 based on a means assessment of £15 from 20 June 1990, derived from a holding.
Following receipt of his application for farm assist his means were reviewed and a deciding officer has assessed his current weekly means at £33 for farm assist purposes, from 7 April 1999. This assessment entitles him to payment at the weekly rate of £110.10.
It is open to the person concerned to appeal his means decision if he is dissatisfied with it. A form for this purpose has been issued to him.
Michael Ring
Question:670 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo can expect his application under the farm assist scheme to be dealt with and payment made. [17681/99]
A decision on the farm assist application from the person concerned was issued to him on 24 September 1999. A deciding officer has assessed his weekly means at £20 for farm assist purposes, from 7 April 1999. This assessment entitles him to payment at the weekly rate of £53.50. He is also entitled to arrears of £125 covering the period from 7 April 1999 to 28 September 1999, which will issue to him shortly.
Michael Ring
Question:672 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo can expect a decision on his appeal on his application for the carer's allowance. [17689/99]
Payment of carer's allowance was disallowed by a deciding officer on the grounds that the person being cared for did not require full-time care and attention.
The person concerned has been asked to supply further medical evidence to support his claim and his entitlement will be re-considered when this is received.