asked the Minister for Social Welfare when outstanding disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Meath.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
798.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 8 February 1982 and was paid from that date at the maximum appropriate rate. All disability benefit and pay-related benefit due to 24 May 1982 has been issued. As he was in receipt of supplementary welfare allowance during the period of his claim, benefit due for the period 16 to 22 April 1982 was withheld and refunded to the North-Eastern Health Board to offset supplementary welfare allowance advanced.
799.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment benefit for a period of a few weeks last year will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned did not claim unemployment benefit from my Department in 1981. He did, however, claim disability benefit from 22 July 1981 and was paid from 25 July 1981, fourth day of incapacity, at the maximum rate appropriate to a single man. All disability benefit and pay-related benefit due on this basis was paid to 19 August 1981, after which date he was certified fit to resume work.
The claimant indicated on the initial medical certificate forwarded to my Department that he was a married man. A form on which to claim an increase for his wife and child dependants, if any, was issued on 3 August 1981 but it was not returned to my Department. Following receipt of the Deputy's inquiry the local social welfare officer established that he is a married man with no qualified children and accordingly the increase in benefit due for his wife for the duration of the claim was issued on 28 May 1982.
800.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position in relation to the payment of unemployment benefits to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned has been claiming unemployment assistance since 1971 and the rates payable to him varied in accordance with changes in his circumstances resulting in reassessments of his means. His means were last revised in May 1981 when he ceased to rent land. However, the question of increasing the rate of unemployment assistance in accordance with the new means assessment was overlooked and in consequence he was underpaid. The matter was recently corrected and all arrears of unemployment assistance due were paid to him last week. He is presently in receipt of weekly payment of £38.65, being the maximum rate of £48.55 less means £9.90 derived from the national value of his holding.
801.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if, in view of the facts of a case (details supplied) in Inchicore, Dublin 8, he will arrange for a children's allowance to continue to be paid in respect of a child.
The person concerned is in receipt of an extended allowance in respect of her school-going son up to and including June 1982. If after that date the child continues in full-time education, the claimant should submit a further application and an award will be made from July 1982. The appropriate form to enable her to do so has been issued.
Children's allowance ceases to be payable on a child's 18th birthday.
802.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a person (details supplied) In County Wexford will be granted a free telephone rental allowance.
There is no record in my Department of an application for free telephone rental allowance from the person concerned.
An application form has been issued to him for completion. On receipt of the completed application form a decision will be given and he will be notified accordingly. Should his application be successful my Department will pay the normal advance rental charges required before installation is effected. The person concerned will, however, be liable for payment of the installation charges involved.
803.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying unemployment and maternity benefits to a person (details supplied) in Mulhuddart, County Dublin who applied in October 1981 and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The person concerned does not satisfy the statutory contribution conditions for entitlement to unemployment benefit or maternity allowance on the basis of her Irish contribution record. As she was employed in Northern Ireland, the Department of Health and Social Services, Belfast, have been requested to furnish details of her contribution record to enable her entitlement to unemployment benefit and maternity allowance to be determined under the provisions of the relevant EEC Regulations. The Northern authorities have been asked to expedite their inquiries and when the required information is received her claims will receive immediate attention.
804.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if, in view of the facts of a case (details supplied) in Inchicore, Dublin 8, he will arrange to have children's allowances paid retrospectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The child in question was committed to special schools by Court Order from February 1979 to January 1980 and again from April 1981 to April 1983. Children's allowance was claimed and paid in respect of him from December 1980 to April 1981. As the child was not subject to a detention order during the period from February to November 1980 arrangements have been made for payment of the allowance in respect of this period. A payable order for the amount due, £62.50, is in course of issue. The child is, however, subject to a detention order by the court in respect of the period April 1981 to April 1983 and while this order is operative it is not possible for my Department to pay children's allowances. If the order is at any time rescinded my Department will pay the allowance from the date this becomes effective, subject to the other qualifying conditions as to age and normal residence being satisfied. Inquiries have been made from the school which the child left and it has been confirmed that the school has not refused to take him back.
805.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if arrears of all disability benefit have been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Meath.
It has not been possible from the information supplied to trace a claim in respect of the person concerned. If the RSI number or other particulars can be supplied which would enable the claim to be identified the matter will be dealt with urgently.
806.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying nine weeks arrears of a non-contributory old age pension for a period from September 1981 to February 1982 to a person (details supplied) in County Meath.
The person concerned left this country and went to live with her daughter in England for a period of some five months in late 1981 and early 1982. Under the regulations non-contributory old age pension is not payable to a person who is absent from the State. In February last the pensioner applied to have her pension restored and, on 1 March, a pension book, payable from 26 February, was issued to her. Inquiries were necessary, however, to establish the precise period of her absence and the date of her return. The inquiries were concluded in April and three months arrears of pension were paid as provided for in the regulations. A payable order for £358.15 representing the arrears due was issued to the pensioner on 26 April.
807.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying disability benefit from 19 to 30 March 1982 to a person (details supplied) in County Meath.
The person concerned was paid disability benefit by my Department from 31 October 1981 to 18 March 1982. Payment was disallowed after that date following examination on 11 March 1982 by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that he was capable of work. He then submitted a final certificate certifying him fit to resume work on 29 March 1982.
The claimant was notified of the disallowance of disability benefit and was advised of his right to appeal against the disallowance. In reply he stated that he did not wish to appeal. He subsequently claimed and was paid unemployment benefit from 30 March 1982 as, on reporting to work, he was informed that his job was no longer available to him. Arrangements have now been made to have unemployment benefit paid to him from 19 March to 28 March 1982.
808.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in Dublin 4 will receive the full amount of moneys including arrears which are due to him as a result of being unemployed; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The person concerned was paid unemployment assistance by way of advances pending the receipt of evidence of employment to enable his entitlement to unemployment benefit to be determined. The necessary documentation was recently received and adjusting payments representing all arrears of unemployment benefit due have now been made. The person concerned is currently being paid unemployment benefit at the rate of £81.95 as weekly payments become due.
809.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the immediate payment of arrears of old age pension due to a person (details supplied) in County Galway since October 1981.
All arrears of pension due to the person concerned have been issued.
810.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the payment of an old age pension at the maximum rate plus a living alone allowance to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
Although the person concerned had for some years been receiving a non-contributory old age pension at the maximum rate a re-assessment of his means has resulted in a reduction in the rate of payment. His means, derived from a small holding and a British retirement pension, entitle him to payment at the reduced rate of £32.45 a week, plus a living alone allowance of £2.70 a week.
The person also has an entitlement to a pro rata contributory old age pension under EEC regulations. However, simultaneous payment of this pension and the non-contributory pension is not permitted. Hitherto the non-contributory pension has been paid to the person as the rate was higher. The position has now changed because of the reduction in his non-contributory pension. His pro rata contributory pension entitlement is now more favourable, being currently £33.55 a week, plus living alone allowance of £2.70 a week. In the circumstances arrangements are being made to recall his non-contributory pension books and replace them with contributory pension books at the higher rate.
811.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the immediate payment of an old age pension to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
An appeals officer, to whom the old age pension claim of the person concerned was referred on 18 March 1982, requested further information on the case. The necessary inquiries are almost completed. On receipt of the final report from the social welfare officer the appeals officer will give his decision and the claimant will be notified of the outcome.
812.
(Waterford) asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason only a partial payment of disability benefit has been made since 18 April 1982 to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit and submitted a first medical certificate, dated 27 April 1982, which was received in my Department on 10 May 1982. As he is a single man and was in hospital at the time, he was requested to state the address to which the benefit cheques should be sent before any payments issued. On receipt of this information, payment was authorised from 30 April 1982, fourth day of incapacity. All disability benefit and pay-related benefit due from that date to 26 May 1982, date of the latest medical certificate received, has been made.
In view of the Deputy's statement that the claimant was incapable of work from 18 April 1982, the claim is now being treated as having commenced on that date and payment has been authorised accordingly.
813.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying pay-related benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and whether payment will now be made.
Payment of pay-related benefit as a supplement to unemployment benefit is subject to the statutory provisions that the combined total of flat-rate unemployment benefit, pay-related benefit and any refund of income tax paid may not exceed 85 per cent of the pre-unemployment average net weekly earnings of a wholly unemployed claimant.
Inquiries were necessary to ascertain the reckonable income of the person concerned from 6 April 1981 until the commencement of his unemployment benefit claim on 25 January 1982 for the purposes of calculating the 85 per cent limit applicable in his case. These inquiries were only recently completed and his 85 per cent limit was calculated as £47.45.
The person concerned is, accordingly, entitled to pay-related benefit at £20.36 weekly reduced to £15.80 from 5 April 1982 to comply with the 85 per cent limit when his flat-rate of unemployment benefit was increased to £31.65.
Arrangements have been made to pay all arrears of pay-related benefit due to him this week.
814.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason five weeks' disability benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 23 March 1982 and was paid at the maximum rate appropriate to a single man up to 22 April 1982, the date of the latest certificate received. Payment of pay-related benefit was also made.
On receipt of the Deputy's inquiry the claimant's employers were contacted and they confirmed that he was, in fact, absent from work through illness from 16 March to 24 April 1982, inclusive. An adjusting payment of disability benefit and pay-related benefit has now been made.
The delay in payment was due to the fact that the claimant did not insert his RSI number and other essential information on the earlier medical certificates submitted in support of his claim and it was necessary to return them to him for insertion of this data before payment of benefit could be authorised.
815.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment assistance has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny, who has been claiming at the Carrick-on-Suir social welfare office since 13 March 1981.
According to my Department's records the person concerned claimed unemployment assistance on 2 April 1982. Her case was referred to a social welfare officer for investigation of her means.
Inquiries have not yet been completed but as soon as they are the means will be assessed and entitlement to unemployment assistance will be determined.
816.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned is a postal applicant for unemployment benefit who claimed benefit from 28 April 1982 to 19 May 1982. Inquiries were necessary in his case to establish that he satisfied the statutory contribution conditions and these were recently completed. His claim was allowed at the maximum weekly rate of £31.65 and an order issued to him last week for encashment at his local post office paying all arrears of unemployment benefit due to him.
817.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and when payment will now be made.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 22 April 1982. All disability benefit and pay-related benefit due to 22 May 1982, after which date he was certified fit to resume work, has now issued.
The delay in payment in this case was due to an administrative error.
818.
(Limerick West) asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit was not paid to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick.
The person concerned claimed occupational injury benefit in respect of an incapacity which he attributed to an accident at work on 9 April 1982.
Normally in such cases, payment of disability benefit is allowed pending inquiries as to the nature and origin of the incapacity. As, however, the claimant had less than the required minimum of 26 contributions paid or credited in the 1980-81 contribution year he was not qualified for payment on this basis.
On completion of the inquiries regarding the occupational accident, payment of injury benefit was authorised from 10 April 1982. All arrears of injury benefit due to 29 May 1982, date of the latest medical certificate received, less an amount refunded to the Mid-Western Health Board in respect of supplementary welfare allowance advanced, was issued to the claimant on 31 May 1982.
819.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position in relation to the payment of an old age pension (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned is in receipt of old age pension at the rate of £18.95 weekly. This is the appropriate rate payable to a person whose means exceed £22 but are less than £24 a week and who is over 80 years of age. The means comprise a social security pension which the person concerned is receiving from America.
820.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned lodged a claim to unemployment benefit from 1 April 1981 and as she satisfied the statutory contribution conditions all payments were made as weekly payment became due. Her entitlement ceased on 6 April 1982 when she exhausted 312 days of benefit. She will not requalify for unemployment benefit until she obtains a further 13 weeks of insurable employment at the appropriate contribution class.
The person concerned was not entitled to pay-related benefit as a supplement to her unemployment benefit payment as the amount of weekly flat-rate unemployment benefit exceeded the 85 per cent limit applicable to her claim.
812.
(Waterford) asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Waterford has received no pay-related benefit for the period from 18 February to 3 March 1982, inclusive.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 18 February 1982 and was paid from that date at the maximum appropriate rate. All disability benefit due to 6 March 1982, after which date he was certified fit to resume work, was issued at that time.
The social welfare regulations provide that where the combined weekly amount of disability benefit and pay-related benefit exceeds a claimant's reckonable earnings in the tax year relevant to his claim, pay-related benefit is not payable. His earnings in 1980-81 were £52.16 per week and, as the amount of disability benefit, £71.75 per week, exceeded this amount, pay-related benefit was not initially authorised. Following an inquiry from the claimant it was established that he has an unemployment benefit claim within the 13-week period immediately prior to his disability benefit claim and that his claim was, therefore, linked for pay-related benefit purposes to the 1979-80 tax year. As his reckonable earnings in that year amounted to £6,590 he was entitled to payment of pay-related benefit for the period 4 March 1982, 13th day of incapacity, to 6 March 1982. A cheque for the sum of £22.38 issued on 20 May 1982.