asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether he will state the present position with respect to a claim on behalf of the next of kin of a deceased person (name supplied) for benefit in connection with an illness lasting from 4th May last until his death on 9th June; and why the widow did not receive benefit in respect of 28 days of this period.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Benefit Claim by Next of Kin.
48.
In view of the short notice of the question, I regret that I am unable to furnish the required information. If the Deputy will repeat the question after the recess I shall then be in a position to reply.
I do not understand the Minister's answer because all the information is in the Minister's Department. Is the Minister aware in respect of this particular case that the relevant medical cerificates were sent on various dates in May from Clonakilty but apparently were lost in transit? They were then asked to be re-issued. When they were re-issued and sent, no action was taken on them until a reminder by trunk call. It was then promised that the benefit would be sent and the benefit sent was for one week only. After ten weeks this widow secured one week's benefit in respect of the six weeks her husband was ill before he died. Is the Minister further aware that in respect of her widow's pension she was told she had not applied when in fact she already had an acknowledgment from them? It was not until someone went into the Department and forced them to look for it that they found it. This widow is now left week after week, month after month, with no assistance, which she is entitled to, because of the incompetence of the Department.
I do not think the Deputy gave us much time to get a reply to the question. It was not received within the statutory period.
I sent it in with all the information I had in connection with it and the Minister's Department must have information on it.
The Deputy must give us a little time because the files which have to be examined are out. The Deputy is quite right. The contributions have not yet been paid.
That matter was settled in June, 1969.
We cannot discuss the whole case at this stage.
Does Deputy FitzGerald pay any attention to the Chair or is he going to monopolise Question Time so far as his own questions are concerned? I am calling Question No. 49.
Could I ask the Minister to look into the matter and get something done about it?
I am looking into it and I shall give the Deputy a reply.
Never mind about the reply to me. Give the person concerned the money.