asked the Minister for Social Welfare when the balance of disability benefit will be paid to an applicant (details supplied) in County Wicklow.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
564.
The person concerned claimed occupational injury benefit from 23 March 1981 and was paid from that date at the maximum appropriate rate. Payment continued, on receipt of medical evidence, to 19 September 1981 at which stage his title to injury benefit was exhausted as he had been paid for the maximum statutory period of 26 weeks.
His claim from 21 September 1981 onwards was treated as one for disability benefit. He was not, however, qualified for payment as according to the records of my Department he had less than the required minimum of 26 contributions paid or credited, in 1979/80, the governing contribution year. Following inquiries, however, has been established that he had 39 contributions paid in that year and was entitled to payment of benefit. Payment of disability benefit for the period 21 September 1981 to 6 November 1981, representing the balance due has accordingly been issued.
565.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a children's allowance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Leitrim.
According to the Department's records the person in question is in receipt of a children's allowance of £6.00 per month in respect of one qualified child over the age of 16 years.
No claim has been received for an extended allowance in respect of a second child who attained the age of 16 years on 16 September 1981.
The relevant claim form was issued to the claimant on 27 October 1981.
566.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will approve an application for free electricity by a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
The allowance which had applied to the electricity account of the person concerned was terminated as the living alone condition of the scheme did not appear to be satisfied. Following receipt of satisfactory medical evidence the allowance was re-applied and confirmation has been received from the ESB that it is again in payment.
567.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will arrange for the immediate payment of unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
The investigations in the claim of the person concerned for unemployment assistance were recently completed and his claim has been allowed. Arrangements have been made to pay all arrears due to him, less an amount which was overpayed to him and due to be recovered by the Department. An order for the balance is being issued to him this week for encashment at his local post office. His current rate of unemployment assistance is £12.15, being the maximum rate of £35.15 less means £23.00 and weekly payments will be made as they fall due.
568.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will arrange for the immediate payment of unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
The person concerned is not entitled to unemployment assistance as his means assessed by a deciding officer of my Department under both the notional and factual basis exceeded the maximum rate of unemployment assistance payable in his case. The person concerned appealed against the decision, but an appeals officer upheld the means assessment of the deciding officer. The decision of the appeals officer is final and conclusive and can only be altered in the light of new evidence or fresh facts.
569.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will approve the payment of an old age pension at the full rate to a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
It was decided by an appeals officer in February 1981 that the person concerned was not entitled to a non-contributory old age pension as his means, consisting of a holding and capital, exceeded the then statutory limit of £23 a week. As the means limit has since been extended representations from the Deputy have been accepted as a repeat claim to pension on this claimant's behalf. The necessary re-investigation will be completed very shortly. If the social welfare officer recommends a pension, it will be put into payment on a provisional basis pending the local pension committee's decision.
570.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will approve the payment of an old age pension at the full rate to a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
It was decided by an appeals officer on 24 August 1981 that the person concerned was entitled to a non-contributory old age pension at the rate of £0.60 per week plus £1.65 living alone allowance from 13 January 1981, increased to £5.85 per week plus £2.05 living alone allowance from 3 April 1981. The rate payable from 2 October 1981 is £7.15 plus £2.15 living alone allowance.
The pensioner's means consisting of a holding, the transfer of which was not accepted for old age pension purposes, and capital entitled him to a pension at these rates. Arrangements are being made for the social welfare supervisor to call on him again in order to establish if further information, received recently from the pensioner's solicitors, would warrant a revision of the claim.
571.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will expedite the payment of a maternity allowance and pay-related benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
The person concerned claimed maternity benefit in respect of her confinement on 5 October 1981. Maternity allowance in respect of the period 31 August 1981 to 21 November 1981 has been issued. This is the full period for which she is entitled to payment of maternity allowance in respect of the confinement. Pay-related benefit has also been paid.
572.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will arrange for the immediate payment of arrears of old age pension from May 1981 to a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
A payable order for £105, covering the balance of arrears due to the person concerned from 1 May 1981 to 22 May 1981, has issued.
573.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will approve the payment of an old age pension at the full rate to a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
It has not been possible to trace an application for a non-contributory old age pension from the particulars furnished by the Deputy. An application was, however, received on 4 November 1981 from a person of the same surname and address who will attain pensionable age on 20 November 1981. The claim of this person has been referred to the social welfare officer for investigation. When the investigation has been completed it will be referred to the local pension committee for decision. If the investigation shows that the claimant is entitled to pension, it will be paid provisionally pending the decision of the pension committee.
574.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit for the period 5 November 1980 to 14 January 1981. He was not entitled to payment as he did not have the necessary minimum of 26 paid or credited contributions in the contribution years 1978 or 1979 which governed his claim.
575.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The person concerned claimed occupational injury benefit from 14 April 1981 in respect of an accident at work on the 6 April 1981 and was paid to 3 October 1981. As injury benefit is only payable for a period of 26 weeks from the date of the accident, his claim subsequent to 3 October was treated as one for disability benefit. All such benefit due to 2 November 1981, after which date he resumed work, has been paid at the maximum appropriate rate.
576.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 15 July 1981 and has been paid all disability benefit due from 19 July 1981, fourth day of incapacity, to 10 November 1981 at the maximum appropriate rate.
As he was in receipt of supplementary allowance from the South-Eastern Health Board during the period 19 July 1981 to 18 August 1981 arrears of disability benefit were withheld pending details of the amount of supplementary welfare allowance paid to him. On receipt of this information payment of the balance of benefit due to him for that period was issued on 9 November 1981.
577.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if an old age pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Leitrim.
An appeals officer has decided that the person concerned is not entitled to a non-contributory old age pension as she does not fulfil the statutory condition as to means. Her means, consisting of the value of a British retirement pension, exceed the statutory limit.
578.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a children's allowance, which has been due since 1979, to a parent (details supplied) in County Leitrim will be paid.
A payable order for £96.50 in respect of arrears of children's allowances due for the period May 1979 to August 1980 was issued to the person concerned on 10 November 1980 and was cashed on 18 November 1980. A continuation allowance book in respect of a child over 16 years of age was issued to him on 10 November 1981 and a payable order in respect of arrears due will be issued shortly.
579.
(Wexford) asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an old age pension at the full rate will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
An appeals officer has awarded a non-contributory old age pension at the maximum rate plus an allowance for his wife to the person concerned with effect from 29 June 1981. A pension order book issued on 9 November 1981 and the arrears due are in course of issue.