asked the Minister for Social Welfare if his Department will pay arrears of disability benefit which are due since 5 April 1982 to a person (details supplied) in County Leitrim.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Payments.
512.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 26 November 1981 and was paid from 30 November 1981, fourth day of incapacity, at the maximum appropriate rate. All disability benefit due to 21 June 1982 has been issued.
513.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance which is due to a person (details supplied) in County Leitrim will be paid.
The person concerned has been assessed with weekly means of £19.25 derived from the income from his land factually assessed. He therefore qualifies for unemployment assistance at the rate of £44.50 a week, being the appropriate maximum rate of £63.75 in his case less £19.25 means. Arrangements have been made for payment of all arrears due to him this week and weekly payments of £44.50 will continue to be made as they fall due.
514.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether he is aware that six weeks unemployment benefit is due to a person (details supplied) in Bandon, County Cork; and if he will now arrange for payment.
The person concerned was refused unemployment benefit by a deciding officer for six weeks from 13 March 1982 to 23 April 1982 on the grounds that she voluntarily left her employment without just cause. It is open to the person concerned to appeal against the decision of the deciding officer if she is dissatisfied with the decision in her case. A form on which to lodge her appeal may be obtained from her local office.
515.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position in relation to an application for unemployment benefit from a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned applied on 19 January 1982 for a qualification certificate which is a statement of a person's means and a pre-requisite for the receipt of unemployment assistance. He has been factually assessed with weekly means of £19.25 derived from land he has let and qualified for unemployment assistance at the weekly rate of £21.85 increased to £31.25 from 31 March 1982. These are the maximum rates appropriate to a married person with weekly means of £19.25 having one child and living in a rural area.
All arrears due to the person concerned will be paid this week and further weekly payments will continue to be made as they fall due.
516.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a non-contributory old age pension is not being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny as the application has been made for some time.
The old age pension claim of the person concerned has been investigated and referred to the local pension committee for decision. Payment of a pension has not been recommended as the assessment of means which consist of the weekly profit from a farm and a shop exceeds the statutory limit.
If the claimant is dissatisfied with the committee's decision she may appeal against it.
517.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to pay an increased rate of unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny in respect of himself, his wife and two dependent children.
The person concerned claimed an increase in respect of his wife and one dependent child at the time of his application for unemployment assistance. There is no record of a claim for an additional child having been received from him. A claim form has been sent to him for completion in respect of his second child and his rate of payment will be adjusted without delay when the completed claim form is received at the local office.
518.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a non-contributory old age pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny as a recommendation has been made by the local pensions committee.
The old age pension committee awarded an increase in pension to the person concerned on 8 June 1982 with effect from 15 April 1982 and the pensioner is now in receipt of payment at the maximum rate of £34.45 per week.
A supplementary pension book has been issued and a payable order in respect of arrears due is in course of issue.
519.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to pay a contributory old age pension at the full rate to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny.
The person concerned has been in receipt of a partial rate widow's contributory pension since 3 April 1975 on her own insurance record. This rate of pension is based on a yearly average of 28 contributions paid in respect of her from her entry into insurance to the end of the last complete contribution year prior to her husband's death in 1975. The maximum rate of pension is applicable where the yearly average of contributions is not less than 48. The difference between the maximum rate of widow's contributory pension and the rate in payment in this case is £1.95 a week.
The widow's entitlement to a contributory old age pension cannot be considered until she reaches pension age in June 1987.
520.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in Castlepollard, County Westmeath, is not receiving unemployment assistance; the means that he is alleged to have; how these means have been investigated; and if there is any evidence to substantiate the allegation that he has means.
The person concerned applied in March 1982 for a qualification certificate, which is a prerequisite for the receipt of unemployment assistance. His application was, however, refused by a deciding officer on the grounds that his means derived from self-employment exceeded the statutory limits. He appealed against the decision of the deciding officer but an appeals officer upheld the deciding officer's decision.
In view of the Deputy's recent representations on his case the application of the person concerned for a qualification certificate is being re-examined and will be resubmitted to an appeals officer for reconsideration.
521.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare (a) the reason a person (details supplied) in Swords, County Dublin, has been paid unemployment benefit retrospective only to November last, although she originally applied in June 1981; and (b) the basis on which the 85 per cent of salary in respect of PRSI is calculated.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 30 July 1981. Her claim was, however, refused by a deciding officer on the grounds that she was not available for employment. She appealed against the deciding officer's decision but an appeals officer upheld the decision.
In February 1982, following a review of her case, the claim was allowed from 2 December 1981. All arrears due to her have been paid and further weekly payments continue to be made as they fall due.
Under statutory regulations, in the case of wholly unemployed persons the combined total of flat rate unemployment benefit, pay-related benefit and any income tax refund paid may not exceed 85 per cent of average weekly earnings after deduction of income tax and pay-related social insurance contribution or one-fiftieth of the prescribed earnings ceiling, whichever is the lesser. In this case the net earnings from 6 April 1981 to 1 December 1981 were £1,172.88 and the average net weekly earnings were £34.50 of which 85 per cent represents £29.32. This is the amount of weekly flat rate and pay-related benefit which the person concerned is receiving.
522.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cork who is 91 years old did not receive a free electricity allowance.
The person concerned was in receipt of a free electricity allowance from 1976 up to April 1982. As a consequence of the revocation of old age pension, when her means exceeded the statutory limit, her title to free electricity allowance ceased at the same time.
523.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a non-contributory widow's pension book will be issued to a person (details supplied) in Ballybay, County Monaghan.
The person concerned has been awarded a non-contributory widow's pension at the maximum rate appropriate to a widow aged over 66 years with effect from 2 October 1981, the Friday following her husband's death. In addition she has been awarded a living alone allowance from the same date.
Pension books containing orders from 23 April 1982 were issued to the designated post office on 17 June 1982 for collection by her and she was notified accordingly. The arrears of pension due from 2 October 1981 to 22 April 1982 were paid direct by payable order to the widow.
524.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in Kinsale, County Cork.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 27 January 1982. He was not qualified for payment initially as he had not the required minimum of 26 paid or credited contributions in the contribution year 1980-81 which governed his claim. He was requested to furnish details of employment in 1980-81 but he failed to do so.
Details of his contribution record in 1980-81 have since been obtained from his employer and disability benefit was authorised from 30 January 1982, fourth day of incapacity. Pay-related benefit was authorised from 10 February 1982, thirteenth day of incapacity.
Arrears of disability benefit and pay-related benefit due to 20 March 1982, after which date the claimant was certified fit to resume work, were issued on 15 June 1982.
525.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason the delay in paying disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 19 February 1982 and was paid to 24 May 1982. At that stage a medical certificate was received which contained a different address than that to which the benefit cheques were being issued and it was necessary to make inquiries to verify whether he had in fact changed his address. On completion of these inquiries payment was restored and all arrears of benefit due to 19 June 1982 have been issued.
526.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if and when an adjustment cheque for disability benefit will be issued to a person (details supplied) in East Wall, Dublin 3; and the period of time covered by this cheque.
The person concerned received injury benefit for the statutory period of 26 weeks from 15 April to 13 October 1981, after which date his claim was treated as one to disability benefit. On the changeover to disability benefit the cheques which issued only contained payment for one dependent child instead of three. The matter has now been rectified and the adjustment due for the period 14 October 1981 to 26 June 1982 was issued to the claimant on 21 June 1982.
527.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a non-contributory old age pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in Oranmore, County Galway, who applied in January 1982 as this man has no income whatsoever.
The claim of the person concerned for a non-contributory old age pension has been investigated and referred to the local pension committee for decision. Payment of a pension has not been recommended by the social welfare officer as the claimant failed to give sufficient information to enable his means to be assessed.
528.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an old age pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in Turloughmore, County Galway.
The claim of the person concerned has been partially investigated and will be referred to the local pension committee for decision on completion of the necessary inquiries. If a pension is payable it will be put into payment on a provisional basis pending the pension committee's decision.
529.
(Limerick East) asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason pay-related benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in Limerick.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 1 May 1982 and is in receipt of benefit at the weekly rate of £94.45. However, he does not qualify for pay-related benefit because he had no reckonable earnings in the relevant tax year 1980-1981. Weekly payments will continue to be made as they fall due.
530.
(Limerick East) asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in Limerick; and when payment will be made.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 15 March 1982 and was paid to 12 April 1982. Payment was discontinued after that date as medical certificates received were misfiled. The matter has since been rectified and payment has been restored from 13 April 1982. All disability benefit due to 26 June 1982 has been issued.
531.
(Limerick East) asked the Minister for Social Welfare, the reason pay-related benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in Limerick and when payment will be made.
The person concerned is in receipt of unemployment benefit at the weekly rate of £31.65. Under statutory regulations the amount of unemployment benefit, pay-related benefit and any weekly refunds of income tax may not exceed 85 per cent of a person's average net weekly earnings, which in the case of the person concerned amounted to £30.35 a week. As the amount of unemployment benefit which he is receiving is greater than this figure, the person concerned is not entitled to pay-related benefit.
532.
(Limerick East) asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to have a new childrens' allowance book issued to a person (details supplied) in Limerick.
The appropriate allowance book has been issued to the person concerned.
533.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in Bantry, County Cork, who is a recipient of unemployment assistance did not receive payment for the week ended 9 February 1982; and when this will be rectified.
Unemployment assistance due to the person concerned for the week ended 9 February 1982 is recorded as having been included with the unemployment assistance payment made to him for the week ended 16 February 1982. However, the unemployment assistance payment due to him for the week ended 2 February 1982 is recorded as not having been paid. This arose out of the nondelivery to him of his pay voucher for that week through the post. The amount due to him in respect of the week-ended 2 February 1982 will be included with this week's payment.
534.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when arrears of widow's pension and a statement of benefit will be issued to a person (details supplied) in Rosslare Harbour, County Wexford.
Arrears of widow's contributory pension due to the person concerned have been paid to her by payable order. The statement of the amount of pension received, which is required in respect of her daughter for educational grant purposes, was issued to the widow on 10 June 1982.
535.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a widow's pension will be granted to a person (details supplied) in New Ross, County Wexford.
The person concerned, whose husband died on 13 February 1982, claimed a widow's contributory pension on 22 March 1982, but this has been refused on the grounds that her late husband did not have the necessary insurance contributions to qualify her for such pension. She has been notified accordingly. Her entitlement to non-contributory pension has not been examined as her means derived from a Government pension are in excess of the statutory limit for receipt of pension by a widow with no qualified children.