asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Payments.
316.
The person concerned is not receiving disability benefit from my Department but from the United Kingdom Department of Health and Social Security. On receipt of the Deputy's question that Department was contacted and it was confirmed that sickness benefit is being paid by them. Payment has been made to 19 March 1982 in accordance with the medical evidence received.
317.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when arrears of a widow's pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
The person concerned was awarded a widow's contributory pension at the maximum appropriate rate with effect from 9 January 1981. A pension order book payable from 20 February 1981 was issued on that date to the designated post office for collection by her. The arrears of pension due from 9 January to 19 February 1981 have since been paid.
318.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment benefit is not being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary.
Inquiries were necessary to establish the contribution record of the person concerned as two PRSI numbers were involved.
Her contribution record has now been established and she is entitled to unemployment benefit at the rate of £21.00 weekly.
She is a postal claimant and arrangements have been made to issue an order to her paying all arrears of unemployment benefit due at her local post office this week.
319.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will restore immediately the prescribed relative allowance to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford; if all arrears will now be paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Payment of the prescribed relative allowance was discontinued when the person concerned was in hospital from 23 December 1981 to 22 February 1982. Since the person concerned returned home from hospital she satisfied the conditions for receipt of the allowance and payment has been restored.
320.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare why disability benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo who is a qualified applicant.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 4 December to 9 December 1981 but payment was withheld as an offset against an overpayment due on a previous disability benefit claim in April 1981. She had given an undertaking at that time to make cash refunds each week but as only one such payment was received it was decided to withhold the sum of £8.44 which was due on the claim from 4 December to 9 December 1981.
321.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare why back-money in respect of a pension claim by a person (details supplied) in County Mayo who is a qualified applicant has not been paid.
A claim for old age pension was received from the person concerned on 1 October 1981. Pension was awarded to him from that date and all payment due from that date has been issued.
322.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare why disability benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo who is a qualified applicant.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 4 February 1982 and was paid from 8 February 1982, fourth day of incapacity. Payment has issued regularly on receipt of medical evidence of incapacity in my Department and all disability benefit due to 25 March 1982, date of the latest medical evidence received, has been issued.
There was delay in the payment of benefit in respect of the first week in March 1981 due to the non-receipt of a medical certificate but the cheque which issued following the receipt of the medical certificate dated 11 March 1981 included the amount due for that week.
323.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare why a back-payment of unemployment has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo who is a qualified applicant.
The person concerned was in receipt of disability benefit from 5 February 1974 to 19 September 1981. Payment of benefit was disallowed after that date following examination by a medical referee of the Department who expressed the opinion that he was capable of work. He appealed against the decision to disallow payment and was again examined by a different medical referee who also expressed the opinion that he was capable of work.
The claim was then referred to an appeals officer who, following an oral hearing of the appeal, decided on 10 February 1982, that the claimant was incapable of work for the period 21 September 1981 to 10 November 1981, and was entitled to payment of disability benefit for that period. In the meantime he had claimed unemployment benefit and following necessary inquiries as to amounts paid by way of unemployment benefit a cheque in payment of the arrears of disability benefit due was issued on 30 March 1982.
He again claimed disability benefit on 16 February 1982 and all benefit due to 30 March 1982 has been paid.
324.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare why an old age pension has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo who is a qualified applicant.
The person concerned has been in receipt of a retirement pension from my Department since 1 September 1977.
The pensioner complained that he was not paid the double week's pension in the week commenced 10 December 1981 and the matter has been referred to the Department of Posts and Telegraphs for investigation. When the inquiries are completed he will be informed of the outcome.
325.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare why disability benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 17 December 1981. He was not entitled to payment however as, according to the records of my Department, he had less than the required minimum of 26 paid contributions to his credit since his entry into insurable employment. In a reply to an inquiry from my Department he indicated on 11 March 1982 that he had been employed in the United Kingdom in 1979-80, the contribution year governing his claim. He has been requested to forward details of that employment in order that details of his British insurance record may be obtained from the Department of Health and Social Security. On receipt of his British insurance record his claim will be reviewed.
326.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The person concerned was requested on a number of occasions to furnish evidence of her employment to enable a deciding officer to determine whether she satisfied the statutory contribution conditions for unemployment benefit.
The necessary details were received from her on 29 March 1982 and her contribution record has been established.
Her claim to unemployment benefit was allowed at the weekly rate of £22.65 and arrangements have been made to pay all arrears due this week.
327.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when all arrears of disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The person concerned last claimed disability benefit from 8 September 1981. As she had less than the required minimum of 26 paid or credited contributions in the 1978-79 or the 1979-80 governing contribution years she was not entitled to payment on this claim. Payment was however made in error to 20 March 1982 after which date payment ceased following a review of her entitlement. In the circumstances there are no arrears of benefit due to her.
328.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the immediate payment of unemployment assistance at the maximum rate to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
Following a review of his case a deciding officer of my Department assessed the means of the person concerned at £15.35 with effect from 17 February 1982 derived from earnings ferrying seaweed. His rate of unemployment assistance was accordingly reduced to £45.65 being the maximum rate of unemployment assistance £61.00 less means of £15.35.
If the person concerned is dissatisfied with the assessment of means it is open to him to appeal and to have his case determined by an appeals officer. A form for this purpose may be obtained at his local office.
329.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying benefits to an applicant (details supplied) in County Dublin.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 21 October 1981 and was paid from 25 October, fourth day of incapacity, at the maximum appropriate rate. Payment of all disability benefit and pay-related benefit due has been made to 17 February, 1982, after which date he was certified fit to resume work.
Benefit issued on receipt of medical evidence and there was no delay in payment. A list of cheques which issued has been sent to the claimant. If he did not receive all these cheques he should notify my Department and arrangements will be made to have replacement action taken.
330.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason an invalidity pension is not being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary, who had a coronary by-pass operation and who will not be fit to resume work.
An application for invalidity pension has not been received from the person concerned. A form on which to claim pension has been forwarded to him and on its return award of pension will be considered.
331.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The unemployment benefit claim of the person concerned was disallowed by a deciding officer on the ground that she failed to reply to inquiries regarding her availability for employment.
The person concerned did not appeal against the disallowance and has not been in touch with my Department since 5 January 1982.
332.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The person concerned claimed benefit from 23 August 1981 in respect of an accident at work on that date and was paid injury benefit for the full statutory period of 26 weeks up to 20 February 1982.
The portion of the claim subsequent to 20 February 1982 was treated as a claim for disability benefit but as according to the records of my Department the claimant had less than the required minimum of 26 contributions paid in 1979-1980 governing contribution year, he was not entitled to payment. Following inquiries it was established that he had in fact 52 paid contributions in that year and is accordingly entitled to benefit at the maximum appropriate rate. All disability benefit due to 29 March 1982, less the amount of supplementary welfare allowance advanced by the health board has been paid.
333.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying social welfare benefits to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 29 January 1982 and was paid from 2 February 1982, fourth day of incapacity, at the maximum appropriate rate. All disability benefit and pay-related benefit due to 2 April 1982 has been issued.
Payment of benefit issued promptly on receipt of medical evidence of incapacity in my Department and there was no delay in payment. The last five payments made issued on the following dates, 5 March 1982, 11 March 1982, 18 March 1982, 25 March 1982, 29 March 1982.
334.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying unemployment assistance at the full rate to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford.
A deciding officer of my Department assessed the person concerned with nil means on 30 December 1981. However, the issue of the notification to the local office to increase the rate of unemployment assistance payable to him was inadvertently delayed.
All arrears of unemployment assistance due were paid on 19 February 1982 and weekly payments at £20.35 continue to be paid as they become due.
335.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when arrears of disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The person concerned was paid disability benefit from 14 November 1979 to 7 June 1980 and from 15 September 1980 to 21 February 1981. Payment ceased after that date as she had less than the required minimum of 156 paid contributions to her credit since her entry into insurance, to entitle her to further payment.
She cannot requalify for further payment of benefit until she resumes employment and has at least 13 weeks of insurable employment after the date of last payment of benefit.
336.
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 February 1982 and payment was made from 18 February, fourth day of incapacity, to 27 March 1982. She has been in receipt of maternity benefit since 29 March 1982.
An officer of my Department contacted this claimant within the last few days and she confirmed that she has received all the payments which issued to her since 18 February 1982.