asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a deserted wife's allowance has not yet been granted to a person (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if, in view of the serious hardship being experienced by her, he will immediately approve the application.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
296.
The claim to deserted wife's allowance/benefit of the person concerned is at present under investigation.
The claimant has been interviewed by a local officer of the Department but it is also necessary to have her husband interviewed in order to obtain his version of the circumstances. It is hoped to have an officer call on him at an early date and when the report is received a decision in the case will be given without delay and the claimant will be notified. She is currently in receipt of separate payment in respect of herself and two children of the dependants' portions of her husband's unemployment assistance, together with supplementary welfare allowance from the Eastern Health Board.
297.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if an old age pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The person concerned was in receipt of pension at the rate of £6.60 per week which was the rate appropriate to her means as assessed, comprising an ex-gratia pension from the health board. Following a routine investigation, it was found that arising from an increase in that pension from July 1983 her means are now in excess of the statutory limit in her case, £42 per week. A question for revocation of pension was therefore referred to the local pension committee for decision and payment of pension was suspended pending the outcome of the committee's decision.
The person concerned will be notified of the outcome of the committee's decision and if she is dissatisfied she will have the right to appeal against it.
298.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a claim for either unemployment benefit or assistance was disallowed in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Carlow as he satisfied the conditions.
Entitlement to unemployment benefit is subject to the condition that an applicant is available for employment, and to be available for employment an applicant must be making genuine efforts to find work.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit and following the completion of extensive inquiries his claim was disallowed on the grounds that he was not available for work. He appealed against the disallowance and he attended an oral hearing of his appeal on 25 October 1983. The appeals officer upheld the disallowance of his claim.
He continued to sign as unemployed and inquiries are being made at present to ascertain whether he still remains unavailable for work. His entitlement to unemployment benefit will be considered in the light of the outcome of the inquiries.
299.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to have unemployment assistance paid at the maximum rate to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny as he has been receiving the reduced weekly rate of £65.70 and is married with four dependent children.
Following a recent re-investigation of his case by a social welfare officer the means of the person concerned were reassessed at £6.90 weekly with effect from 26 April 1983. His means are derived from the capital value of land and from fishing. His rate of unemployment assistance has been increased to £73.40, being the maximum rate payable to him, £80.30 less £6.90 means. Arrangements have been made to pay all arrears due this week and further weekly payments will be made as they become due.
300.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to have unemployment benefit at the maximum rate paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny as he has lodged an appeal against the amount granted to him and needs the money urgently.
The person concerned was assessed with means at £21.35 weekly derived from the value of board and lodging on his parent's holding. He was in receipt of unemployment assistance at £8.05, being the maximum rate payable to him, £29.40, less £21.35.
He appealed against the amount of means assessed against him and an appeals officer reduced the assessment of his means to £15.00 weekly. He is accordingly entitled to unemployment assistance at £14.40, being the maximum rate payable to him, £29.40 less £15.00. All arrears due will be paid this week and further payments will be made as they become due.
301.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to have unemployment and pay related benefits at the maximum rate paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny as he has been unemployed since 7 October 1983; and if he will arrange to pay arrears.
The person concerned satisfied the contribution conditions for the maximum flat-rate unemployment benefit at £34.80 weekly and payment was made to him as weekly payments became due. He was entitled to pay-related benefit at the weekly rate of £9.44 on the basis of his earnings during the relevant income tax period 6 April 1981 to 5 April 1982. Payment of pay-related benefit commenced to be paid from 31 October 1983 following the statutory waiting period and the first payment was made in addition to flat-rate unemployment benefit on 4 November 1983.
Combined payments of flat-rate unemployment benefit and pay-related benefit at £44.24 weekly continue to be made as they become due.
302.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a decision will be made on a non-contributory old age pension which was applied for three months ago for a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny.
The person concerned made a repeat claim for old age pension on 16 August 1983. The claim was investigated by the social welfare officer and was referred to the local pension committee for decision on 7 October 1983. The social welfare officer did not recommend payment of pension on the grounds that the claimant's means, derived from his wife's earnings, a British pension and some capital, are in excess of the statutory limit.
When the pension committee have given their decision the person concerned will be notified of the outcome and if he is dissatisfied, he will have the right to appeal against it.
303.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny will be transferred to invalidity pension.
The regulations provide that the claimant, apart from satisfying the contribution conditions, must be regarded as permanently incapable of work in order to qualify for invalidity pension. The person concerned was examined on 14 September 1983 by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that he was not permanently incapable of work and asked to have him referred again for a further examination in nine months time. His entitlement to invalidity pension will be reviewed in the light of this further examination. In the meantime he continues to receive disability benefit at the maximum rate of £65.60, appropriate to a married man who has one qualified child.
304.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the position regarding a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny who claimed disability benefit from 29 August 1983 and received £44.85 per week up to 3 October 1983 but has since received nothing except £15.30 for the period 21-24 October 1983.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 29 August 1983 to 28 October 1983. Payment was issued to 3 October 1983 when, due to an administrative error, payment was discontinued until she was paid benefit for the period from 21 to 24 October 1983. Arrears of benefit payable from 4 to 20 October 1983 and from 25 to 28 October 1983 have been issued.
305.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a children's allowance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny in respect of her son.
The person concerned applied on 28 September 1983 for continuation of children's allowance in respect of her son who reached 16 years of age on 15 March 1983. There is no trace in my Department of a previous application for continuation of the allowance.
The application was dealt with and an allowance book payable from September 1983 was issued on 28 October 1983. A payable order in respect of arrears due from April 1983 was issued on 9 November 1983.
306.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an old age pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
It was decided by an appeals officer in August 1983 that the person concerned is not entitled to an old age pension on the ground that his means, consisting of half the weekly value of capital and a holding of land, exceed the statutory limit for entitlement to pension.
The person concerned made a repeat claim to pension on 4 October 1983 and following further investigations by the social welfare officer into the transfer of the land, the case has been referred back to the appeals officer for review of his decision on the original application. The person concerned will be notified of the outcome of the review.
307.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Donegal was refused unemployment assistance; and whether it is required that parents and other members of the family must disclose all details of their incomes, including accounts where business is involved, in the consideration of unemployment assistance applications.
The person concerned last claimed unemployment assistance from 17 February 1983 to 31 May 1983, after which he ceased to sign as unemployed. His claim was disallowed on the grounds that by failing to furnish details of the income of the household in which he resided he failed to show that his means did not exceed the statutory limit. He appealed against this decision assessing his means in excess of the statutory limit and attended an oral hearing of his appeal on 21 July 1983. The appeals officer upheld the decision disallowing unemployment assistance in his case.
The yearly value of board and lodging is one of the items which deciding officers and appeals officers are obliged by the law to take into account in the assessment of the means of applicants for unemployment assistance. Each case is decided on its merits having regard to the standard of living of the household and the circumstances of the applicant. In assessing this it is necessary to have details of the income of the parents but not of other members of the household, such as brothers and sisters.
308.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance at the maximum rate will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
The person concerned was assessed with means at £42.00 weekly derived from the benefit of his wife's earnings. He was accordingly in receipt of unemployment assistance at £6.35 weekly, maximum rate payable to him £48.35 less £42, from 17 August 1983 to 27 August 1983 after which he ceased to sign as unemployed.
He appealed against the amount of means assessed against him but due to mis-filing at his local office delay occurred in dealing with his appeal application. Arrangements have been made to have his case referred to an appeals officer and a decision in the case will be made as early as possible.