Michael Ring
Question:770 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will be approved for optical benefit. [11875/03]
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
The person's claim to optical benefit has been approved and he was notified accordingly on 29 April 2003. He should present the approval notice to his optician who will arrange to provide the services to which he is entitled under the scheme.
Michael Ring
Question:771 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason persons (details supplied) in County Mayo have both had their pensions reduced by circa ?18 per week, in view of the fact that only one of them has a British pension. [11950/03]
Under the legislation relating to the payments involved, each person of a married couple is assessable with half their joint income for means purposes.
The first claimant has recently been awarded an old age pension of €134 a week, on the basis of means of €17.38 a week deriving from half the value of the British pension she is receiving. Her spouse is receiving a pre-retirement allowance, the rate of which is subject to an over-riding statutory limit which restricts payment amounts, in the case of a married couple, to the appropriate married rate. His entitlement is under review in the light of the pension recently awarded to his spouse. He will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible.
Under social welfare legislation, decisions in relation to claims are made by deciding officers and appeals officers. These officers are statutorily appointed and I have no role in regard to making such decisions.
Bernard Allen
Question:772 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason those who inform her Department that they are returning to work and are terminating their unemployment assistance applications are not being informed of their entitlement to the back to work allowance; the further reason that when they subsequently discover their entitlement, they are being refused the allowance due to the failure of her Department to inform them of their rights; and if she will investigate the case of a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [11981/03]
The back-to-work allowance scheme administered by my Department is one of a number of supports aimed at helping people to return to work. The person concerned applied for back to work allowance on 24 February 2003, stating on the application form that he had commenced work on 16 December 2002. His application was refused as he did not apply within the specified time limit. This decision was upheld following review.
Information on the back to work allowance is widely available, including through the information services provided at local and branch offices where unemployed people attend. The scheme is targeted however, at people who need additional support in order to enable them to return to employment and the rules of the scheme require that an application must be made prior to taking up employment. Claims made after the person has started work indicate that the person was in a position to take up employment without the need for the financial support which the scheme provides and the scheme is not intended to cater for people in this situation.