asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is aware that a person (details supplied) in County Galway applied for unemployment benefit about six years ago and was refused though it appears that he was entitled to it; and if he will have the matter investigated with a view to payment.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
718.
According to the register of claims maintained at the local office, the person concerned claimed unemployment benefit from 2 February 1976 to 28 May 1976. However, the papers in his case are no longer available and it is not possible six years later to establish the details of the claim.
If his application for unemployment benefit had been refused the claimant would, in accordance with normal procedure, have been furnished with the decision of the deciding officer and he would have been informed of his right to appeal against any disallowance of his claim. In view of the lapse of time since the claim was made and in the absence of the documents relating to it no further action is now possible.
719.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Galway has only been allowed a very low rate of old age pension, i.e. £8.45 per week; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
It has been decided by an appeals officer that the person concerned is entitled to a non-contributory old age pension at the following rates: £2.25 a week from 13 August 1981; £3.55 a week from 2 October 1981; £2.35 a week from 1 March 1982; £12.45 a week from 2 April 1982. Her means, consisting of half the weekly value of a holding and capital, entitle her to pension at these rates. The appropriate pension order book has been issued, the orders being payable from 7 May 1982. This is the date from which the adult dependent allowance, which her husband had been receiving as an increase of his old age pension in respect of the claimant, ceased to be paid.
720.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in County Galway will be granted free electricity allowance.
A free electricity allowance has been authorised in this case and the ESB have been instructed to apply the allowance to the account of the person concerned from the February-March 1982 billing period.
721.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in County Galway will be granted an increase in her widow's pension.
The person concerned has been in receipt of a widow's non-contributory pension at a partial rate since 3 April 1981, on the basis of her means assessed on the value of a farm and some capital.
As from 2 April 1982 her rate of pension has been increased from £14.60 a week to £18.60 a week as a result of the increase in the amount disregarded in the case of working widows in respect of each dependent child from £104 to £312 under the provisions of the Social Welfare Act, 1982. A supplementary book containing orders at £4 per week from 2 April 1982 has been issued to the widow.
724.
Asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in County Galway will be granted an old age pension.
The investigation of the old age pension claim of the person concerned has not yet been completed. The social welfare officer is awaiting a reply to an inquiry made in relation to the person's outlay on livestock feedstuffs. The officer will not be in a position to make a recommendation on the claim until this information is supplied. If payment of pension is recommended it will be put into payment on a provisional basis pending the decision of the local pension committee.