asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
424.
The person concerned last claimed unemployment assistance from 12 October 1982 to 28 June 1983 after which he ceased to sign as unemployed. He was not entitled to unemployment assistance as the means assessed against him, derived from the value of land and capital, exceeded the statutory limit.
It is open to him to re-apply for unemployment assistance. His case would then be re-investigated and the assessment of his means would be reviewed in the light of the investigation.
425.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; the amount due; and the date on which it will be paid.
The person concerned was paid disability benefit from 29 January 1982 to 7 August 1982. Payment was disallowed after that date following examination by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that he was capable of work.
He appealed against the decision and, in connection with his appeal, he was examined on 6 October 1982 by a different medical referee who also considered him to be capable of work. His case was then referred to an appeals officer who upheld the decision to disallow payment of disability benefit for the period 9 August 1982 to 18 November 1982 (date of the latest medical certificate before him).
The appeals officer's decision is final and conclusive and may only be altered in the light of new evidence or new facts.
The person concerned indicated on his first medical certificate that he was a married man but he did not subsequently claim an increase for an adult dependant on the claim form later submitted by him. Another form is now being issued to him and on its return his claim will be reviewed.
426.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment assistance which was payable to a person (details supplied) in County Galway was reduced without notice on 27 September, 1983; the amount of the reduction; the reasons; and if he will direct his Department to restore assistance to the former figure.
The person concerned has been in receipt of unemployment assistance since April 1972. He recently acquired additional land and his case was referred to a social welfare officer for reinvestigation of his means.
Following the completion of inquiries his means were assessed at £76.90 weekly derived from the income of his holding with effect from 21 September 1983. The rate of unemployment assistance payable to him was accordingly reduced to £11.15 weekly increasing to £15.45 from 5 October 1983 being the maximum rate of unemployment assistance payable to him £92.35 less means of £76.90.
If he is dissatisfied with the amount of means assessed against him 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.
427.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the date on which unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned claimed unemployment assistance from 3 December 1982 and his case was referred to a social welfare officer for investigation of his means. Following the completion of inquiries his means, derived from self-employment as a plasterer, were assessed as being in excess of the statutory limit and his unemployment assistance claim was disallowed.
He ceased to sign as unemployed after 1 March 1983.
428.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a deserted wife's allowance has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway since June 1983; the weekly amount due to her; the total amount of back money due; and the date on which she will receive the necessary cheques.
The person concerned who was in receipt of prisoner's wife's allowance up to 29 June 1983 applied for deserted wife's allowance in respect of herself and four children on 7 July 1983.
It is normal procedure for a claimant of deserted wife's allowance/benefit to be interviewed by a local officer of the Department but the claimant in this case refused to be interviewed when visited by a social welfare officer. Arrangements are being made for the officer, accompanied by her husband's welfare officer, to call on her again in connection with her claim.
When a report is received a decision will be given and the claimant will be notified of the outcome. Meanwhile she is in receipt of supplementary welfare allowance from the Western Health Board.
429.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; the weekly amount due to her; the date on which she will receive back payment; and the date on which she will receive her first weekly cheque.
Availability for work is a condition of entitlement to unemployment benefit and to fulfil this condition an applicant must be capable of, available for and genuinely seeking employment.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 4 May 1983 and her claim was disallowed on the grounds that she was not available for work. She appealed against the disallowance and attended an oral hearing of her case on 11 August 1983. The appeals officer upheld the disallowance and she was notified of the decision on 16 August 1983.
She ceased to sign as unemployed after 12 August 1983.
430.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork as he applied approximately three weeks ago; and the reason for the delay in payment.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit from 26 September 1983 and his claim was allowed at the weekly rate of £65.60. However payment of benefit could not be made until inquiries, to establish the number of holiday pay days, to which he was entitled, were completed. These inquiries were completed last week and all arrears due to him were paid.
Weekly payments continue to be made to him as they become due.
431.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and the reason for the delay in payment.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 20 September 1983 and submitted an initial certificate only which indicated that his incapacity commenced on 22 July 1983.
Payment of benefit is not made on receipt of a first certificate which is a notice of incapacity only. Continuing medical evidence is required to enable payment of benefit to be issued.
The claimant has been advised to forward continuing medical evidence of incapacity and has also been advised to forward certification for the period 22 July 1983 to 19 September 1983 and on receipt of this his claim will be reviewed.
432.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when the pay-related portion of maternity allowance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and the reason for the delay in payment.
The claimant is qualified for payment under the maternity scheme for women in employment and is entitled to the minimum payment of £64.88 per week. Her entitlement under the general maternity scheme would give her a flat-rate benefit of £34.80 plus £5.26 pay-related benefit making a total weekly payment of £40.06. Accordingly, the higher rate payable under the scheme for women in employment is in payment to her and all benefit due to date has been issued.
433.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork as he applied approximately two months ago; and the reason for the delay in payment.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 26 August 1983 and has been paid all disability benefit due from 30 August 1983, fourth day of incapacity, to 22 September 1983 at the maximum rate appropriate to a single man. He was also paid pay-related benefit from 16 September 1983, the nineteenth day of incapacity.
The Southern Health Board had indicated that he had received payment of supplementary welfare allowance during the period of his claim and it was necessary to confirm details of the allowance paid. On receipt of this information payment was issued to the person concerned on 12 October 1983 less £56.00 which was reimbursed to the health board to offset payment of supplementary welfare allowance paid to him.
The delay in this case was due to the late submission of medical certificates to the Department.
434.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork as he applied approximately seven weeks ago; and the reason for the delay in payment.
The entitlement of the person concerned to unemployment benefit could not be determined until inquiries about his employment record were completed, by reason of his employer's failure to return details of his contributions during the relevant contribution period 6 April 1981 to 5 April 1982.
These inquiries were recently completed and unemployment benefit at the maximum weekly rate of £34.80 has been allowed. Arrangements have been made to pay all arrears due this week less the amount of supplementary welfare allowance due for recoupment to the health board.
Further weekly payments will be made as they become due.
435.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an invaldity pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork as he is on disability benefit now for quite a number of years.
The person concerned is being paid disability benefit at regular weekly intervals and payment has been made to 22 October 1983.
A form on which to claim invalidity pension has been forwarded to him and on its return, duly completed, the claim will be dealt with without delay.
436.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork as he is awaiting three weeks' benefit (15 April to the 6 May 1983); and if he will explain the reason for the delay in payment.
The person concerned has now been paid all disability benefit due from 19 April 1983, fourth day of incapacity, to 7 May 1983, after which date he was certified as fit to resume work. Pay-related benefit due from 4 May 1983, nineteenth day of incapacity, to 7 May 1983 will be issued within a few days.
The delay in issuing payment was due to an administrative error.
437.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if it is proposed to grant an old age pension to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The old age pension claim of the person concerned has been investigated and referred to the local pension committee for decision. Payment of pension at the rate of £28.60 plus £14.40 adult dependant allowance and £17.40 dependent child allowance has been recommended by the Social Welfare officer with effect from 21 October 1983 when the claimant reaches age 66. These are the rates appropriate to the assessment of the claimant's means consisting of half the weekly value of a holding. The appropriate pension books were issued on a provisional basis on 7 October 1983 pending the pension committee's decision.
438.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if an old age pension will be awarded to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned who is approaching 65 years of age, and has not therefore attained old age pension age (66), has been awarded a widow's noncontributory pension at the rate of £13.85 per week with effect from 1 July 1983. This is the rate of pension payable to a widow under 66 years of age who has no qualified child and whose weekly means exceed £28.00 but do not exceed £30.00. Her means derived from capital have been assessed at £28.14 per week.
A pension order book payable from 7 October 1983 has been issued to the designated post office for collection by her and she has been notified accordingly.
The arrears of pension for the period from 1 July 1983 to 6 October 1983 will be paid direct to her shortly by means of a payable order.
439.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a free electricity allowance will be awarded to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The application for a free electricity allowance from the person concerned has been approved and the ESB has been instructed to apply the allowance to her electricity account from the July-August 1983 billing period onwards.
440.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reasons unemployment assistance has been terminated in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Galway; if he will restore this assistance; the date on which it will be granted; and the amount which will be paid.
Entitlement to unemployment assistance is subject to the condition that an applicant must be available for employment.
The person concerned notified his local office that he was not available for work as he had to care for a sick parent. His unemployment assistance had to be disallowed from 22 June 1983.
However, when subsequent inquiries were made in the matter it was established that he again became available for work from 26 August 1983 and his claim was re admitted from that date.
Arrears due amounting to £192.90 will be paid this week and further weekly payments at £29.40 will be made as they become due.
441.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork as he has been waiting for payment for the last two months; and the reason for the delay in payment.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit on 12 September 1983 in respect of periods of illness from 1 August 1983 to 8 August 1983 and from 16 August 1983.
All disability and pay-related benefit due to 8 October 1983, date of the latest medical evidence received, has been issued less a refund to the Southern Health Board of the amount of supplementary welfare allowance advanced to the claimant. The delay in issuing payment was due to an administrative error.
442.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when occupational injuries benefit at the maximum rate and arrears will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork as they have been outstanding now for some time; and the reason for the delay in payment.
The person concerned claimed occupational injury benefit on 29 July 1983 in respect of an incapacity resulting from an accident at work on 27 July 1983.
Pending the completion of investigations arising from the accident he was paid disability benefit at the personal rate on an interim basis from 1 August 1983, the fourth day of incapacity.
Following completion of investigations injury benefit was awarded at the rate of £117 a week from the date of the accident. On 15 September 1983 injury benefit was paid in respect of the period to 10 August 1983 over and above the disability benefit paid on an interim basis and less supplementary welfare allowance advanced by the Southern Health Board which was recouped to the board. Injury benefit has now been paid in respect of the period to 3 September 1983 after which he was certified fit to resume work.
The delay in payment of injury benefit resulted from an administrative error.