asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to have all arrears of a non-contributory old age pension which are owed since January 1982 paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
350.
The person concerned was awarded old age pension at the rate of £20.35 from 22 January 1982, increased to £27.55 from 19 February 1982 and £34.45 from 2 April 1982. A pension book at the rate of £34.45, containing orders payable from 7 May 1982, was issued to her on 10 May. Arrears of pension due to her from 22 January 1982 to 30 April 1982, less the amount of adult dependant allowance paid in respect of her as part of her husband's pension in the same period, were paid in June 1982. Two payable orders, for a total of £244.95 were issued in that month and, according to the Department's records, were cashed on 26 July 1982. No further arrears are therefore due.
351.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny who became unemployed on 23 December 1982.
The person concerned is not qualified for unemployment benefit as she does not fulfil the statutory contribution condition of having at least 26 contribution weeks or credited contributions in the contribution periods which govern her entitlement.
She claimed unemployment benefit on 31 December 1982 and as she had no employment or credited contributions during the contribution periods 6 April 1980 to 5 April 1981 or 6 April 1981 to 5 April 1982 which govern her claim the claim was disallowed. It is understood from the person concerned that she had no employment during the period from June 1977 to April 1982.
352.
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 out of work for some time.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed on the grounds that her means assessed at £33.00 weekly and derived from the value of board and lodging on her parents holding exceeded the maximum rate of unemployment assistance payable to her. She appealed against the disallowance but an appeals officer whose decision is final, in the absence of new facts, upheld the disallowance.
353.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to have all outstanding payments of disability benefit made to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny.
The person concerned was paid disability benefit from 11 October to 23 December 1982 at the maximum rate appropriate to a married man with two child dependants. Payment was unfortunately interrupted from 24 December 1982 at the stage that his claim was due for adjustment due to his eldest child having attained 18 years of age.
All arrears of disability benefit and pay-related benefit have since been issued.
354.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to have unemployment assistance at the full rate paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny as he has been unemployed since last October.
The person concerned was assessed with means of £24.00 derived from the value of board and lodging on his parents farm. He is accordingly being paid unemployment assistance at the weekly rate of £1.45 being the maximum rate payable to him £25.45 less means £24.00.
It is open to him to appeal against the amount of means assessed against him. A form for this purpose may be obtained at his local office.
355.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment assistance is not being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny as the application has been made for some time and he has tried consistently but unsuccessfully to obtain work.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned from 29 March 1982 to 9 September 1982 was disallowed on the grounds that he was not genuinely seeking work. The disallowance was upheld by an appeals officer following an oral hearing of the case and his decision is final in the absence of new facts.
He again claimed unemployment assistance from 10 January 1983 and following investigation, as no new evidence was produced by the claimant in support of his claim, it was again disallowed on the grounds that he was not genuinely seeking work.
It is open to the claimant to appeal against the disallowance of his claim from 10 January 1983 and to have his case reviewed by an appeals officer. A form for this purpose is obtainable at his local office.
356.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will expedite the payment of unemployment benefit for a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit from 7 January 1982 to 24 May 1982 but he had insufficient contributions during the relevant contribution period 6 April 1980 to 5 April 1981 and his claim had to be disallowed.
Non-compliance action was taken by my Department against the employer but pending the outcome of inquiries the unpaid contributions were treated as paid for the purpose of his unemployment benefit claim and reduced rate payment at £23.45 weekly increased to £29.30 from 5 April 1982 was authorised and all arrears due to him were paid in May 1982.
Inquiries were recently completed and the balance of flat-rate unemployment benefit due to him was paid last week.
His title to pay-related benefit was also established at £22.93 weekly reducing to £16.58 from 5 April 1982 and all arrears of pay-related benefit due will be paid this week.
357.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the immediate approval of the payment of a non-contributory old age pension at the maximum rate for a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
It has not been possible from the information supplied to trace a non-contributory old age pension claim in this case. If the Deputy could supply further details, particularly the pension number, and the post office of payment which appear on the cover of the pension book, the matter will be further investigated.
358.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to have an old age pension paid to a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
An appeals officer has decided that the person concerned, who had been in receipt of an old age pension at the rate of £16.45 a week, is entitled to a pension at the maximum rate of £34.45 a week from 16 July 1982. A supplementary pension book adjusting the rate in payment has been issued and the arrears due are in course of issue.
359.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the immediate approval of a free telephone rental allowance for a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
An application for free telephone rental allowance made by the person concerned was approved in my Department on receipt of the required medical evidence. The allowance will apply with effect from 24 September 1982 and will appear on the applicant's January-March 1983 telephone account.
360.
(Limerick West) asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick.
Inquiries were necessary to establish that the person concerned satisfied all the statutory conditions for receipt of unemployment benefit. These inquiries were recently completed and his claim has been allowed with effect from the date of claim at the weekly rate of £81.25, including £75.00 unemployment benefit and £6.25 pay-related benefit. Payment in respect of week-ending 1 February 1983, is being sent to him this week by means of a pay order for encashment at his local post office and further weekly payments will continue as they become due. It will be necessary to refund to the Mid-Western Health Board from the arrears of benefit due to him the amount of supplementary welfare allowance paid to him while his claim was being determined. Any balance remaining will be paid to him by pay order.
361.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a contributory pension at the full rate will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway as he is being denied a contributory pension due to the fact that his employer failed to pay an adequate number of insurance contributions.
Following an investigation by the local social welfare officer it was confirmed that the person concerned had a sufficient number of weeks of insurable employment to enable him to qualify for an old age contributory pension at the rate appropriate to a yearly average of 21 contributions and he has been awarded pension with effect from 2 April 1982. This is the maximum rate of pension to which he is entitled on the basis of the contribution record which has been established.
He is at present in receipt of a non-contributory old age pension and this will continue in payment up to and including 4 February 1983. A contributory pension book containing orders valid for payment from 11 February 1983 has been issued to the designated post office for collection by him and he has been notified accordingly.
The arrears of contributory old age pension for the period from 2 April 1982 to 10 February 1983, less the amount of non-contributory old age pension paid to him, will be sent to him by means of a separate payable order.
362.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to have pay-related benefit at the full rate paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny as it has been outstanding for some time.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 27 January 1982 to 13 July 1982.
Disability benefit issued to him from 30 January 1982, fourth day of incapacity, and pay-related benefit issued from 10 February 1982, thirteenth day of incapacity. His entitlement to pay-related benefit was based on his reckonable earnings for the 1980-81 tax year.
He was certified fit to resume work on 14 July 1982 but was paid in error to 24 July 1982. The claimant returned two cheques totalling £287.64 to the Department as a result of which he was owed £94.24 in respect of disability benefit outstanding to 13 July 1982. He was paid the outstanding amount by means of two cheques — £47.94 on 30 July 1982 and £46.30 on 5 August 1982.
The claimant has accordingly received all benefit due to him.
363.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny as he has been out of work since 20 November 1982 and has submitted all certificates.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 15 November 1982 to 11 December 1982 after which date he was certified fit to resume work. However, due to an administrative error payment of benefit due did not issue until 17 January 1983.
364.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to have disability benefit paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny for the period 22 to 27 August 1982.
The person concerned was in receipt of injury benefit for the period from 10 May 1982 to 11 September 1982.
A cheque for the sum of £361.14 was issued on 30 August 1982 in payment of benefit due including pay-related benefit in respect of the two week period up to 26 August 1982. Payment of benefit in respect of 27 August was included in a cheque for £180.57 which issued on 9 September 1982.
Benefit due in respect of the period concerned has accordingly been paid in full.
365.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to have unemployment benefit paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny as he claimed benefit from 16 April 1980.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit from 16 April 1980 to 3 June 1980 but his claim had to be disallowed as he had no contributions paid or credited during the governing contribution periods.
Action was taken against his employer who failed to pay contributions in respect of his employment during the relevant periods but the contributions due have not yet been paid. Additional inquiries are at present being made and it is expected that these inquiries will be completed shortly. The entitlement to unemployment benefit will be reviewed immediately the inquiries have been completed.
366.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit at the full rate has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Carlow.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 23 March 1981 and was paid all benefit due at the maximum rate appropriate to a married woman from 26 March 1981, the fourth day of incapacity, to 11 April 1981. She also received payment in respect of a later claim covering the period from 23 April 1981, fourth day of incapacity, to 27 April 1981.
There is no record of claims having been received in the Department in respect of periods in October 1981 or March/April 1982 as indicated in the details supplied by the Deputy with his question. It has however been ascertained from the claimant's employer that she was absent from work because of illness during the period 16 September 1980 to 3 October 1980. Payment amounting to £42 in respect of this period was issued to her on 31 January 1983.