Vol. 529 No. 1
917 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will reconsider the reduction and disallowance of rent subsidy to those on the back to work scheme, with particular reference to the need to ensure the existence of an incentive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1891/01]
The supplementary welfare allowance scheme is administered on behalf of my Department by the health boards and my Department has no function in deciding entitlement in individual cases. The main objective of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme is to make up the difference between a person's means whether in cash or in kind and their needs. Where a person has access to some resources in kind or in cash, through the social welfare system or otherwise, this is taken into account in determining entitlement to supplementary welfare allowance. This occurs in the case of asylum seekers in direct provision who are being provided with full board accommodation, all meals and other services. In such cases the recommended weekly allowance is £15 per adult and £7.50 per child to provide for personal requisites. Furthermore, where there are other reasonable expenses exceptional needs payments are made by the health boards.
A person who leaves direct provision accommodation without clear justification and who subsequently applies for rent supplement or assistance towards a rent deposit is regarded as not having an accommodation need and rent supplements are not payable. The rate of SWA payable in such cases is the same as that payable to people in direct provision. However, a health board may decide in exceptional cases to award a rent supplement due to particular circumstances. Deciding entitlement to SWA payments is a matter for the relevant health board and my Department has no function in that regard.
918 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will be awarded the free schemes as a carer on her home in County Kildare. [1927/01]
One of the qualifying conditions for receipt of the electricity and telephone allowances is that the applicant must be permanently residing at the address at which the allowances are to be applied. In addition, only one set of allowances is payable in each eligible household. As the person concerned is permanently residing with, and providing full-time care for, her parents in County Mayo, she is not entitled to the electricity and telephone allowances in respect of her house in County Kildare. The father of the person concerned is already in receipt of these allowances for the County Mayo household.
919 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will confirm the contribution record of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo. [1928/01]
According to the records of the Department, the person concerned commenced insurable employment on 12 July 1937 and has a total of 69 paid and 88 credited contributions up to the 1950-1 contribution year. There is no record of any insurable employment for him in this country since then.
920 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the reason a back to work allowance was not granted to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1931/01]
The objective of the back to work allowance scheme is to provide a financial incentive to lone parents and long-term unemployed persons to return to the active labour force. The scheme has a limited number of places and it is targeted at people who need the additional income support which the scheme provides in order to make it financially attractive to them to return to employment. The rules of the scheme, therefore, require that an application must be made prior to taking up employment.
The person concerned commenced employment on 26 October 1999. His application for the allowance was not received in the Department until June 2000. His claim had to be refused as it was late.
921 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs when contributory old age pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Carlow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1948/01]
One of the conditions for receipt of a standard rate old age contributory pension is that a person must have a yearly average of at least ten social insurance contributions recorded. The yearly average is calculated over the period from 1953, or date of entry into insurance, if later, up to the end of the last full contribution year before reaching pension age – 66 years.
The person concerned has contributions recorded over the period 1953 to 1957 during which a total of 189 contributions are recorded. This results in a yearly average of four. Her claim to old age contributory pension was, therefore, disallowed and she was notified accordingly. The question as to whether or not the person concerned was insurable under social welfare legislation for the period 1988 to 1998 while she assisted her husband in the running of his business has been raised.
A deciding officer has decided that she was not insurable under social welfare legislation for the period concerned. If she is dissatisfied with this decision, it is open to her to appeal against it to the social welfare appeals office. Under social welfare legislation, decisions in relation to claims must be made by deciding officers and appeals officers. These officers are statutorily appointed and I have no role in regard to making such decisions.
Question No. 922 answered with Question No. 880.
