asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment assistance is not being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork even though he applied over three months ago.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
355.
The person concerned is in receipt of unemployment assistance at £30.40 weekly, being the maximum rate payable to him £88.05 less means £57.65 derived from land.
He applied for a reinvestigation of his means on 14 November 1983, and his case has been referred to a social welfare officer for inquiries. It is expected that these inquiries will be completed shortly and his means will be reviewed in the light of the outcome and his rate of unemployment assistance will be determined accordingly.
356.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a non-contributory old age pension was refused to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny as the application has been made for some time; and if he will have this particular case reinvestigated with a view to having the pension granted.
An application for old age pension from the person concerned was disallowed on 2 December 1977 on the grounds that his means, consisting of half the weekly value of a holding and capital, exceeded the statutory limit. There is no trace of the receipt in the Department of an application for pension since that date. If the person concerned wishes to reapply for a pension, his entitlement will be re-examined on receipt of his application and he will be notified of the outcome. An application form may be obtained at any post office.
357.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny as he has been out of work since 2 December 1983.
Inquiries had to be made to establish that the person concerned fulfilled the contribution conditions for receipt of unemployment benefit. These investigations were recently completed and his claim has been authorised at £34.80 weekly being the maximum rate applicable in his case. All arrears due amounting to £272.60 were issued to him this week by way of payable order for encashment at his local post office. Further weekly payments will continue as they become due.
358.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the long delay in paying unemployment benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny.
An applicant for unemployment benefit who is a landholder must satisfy a contribution condition of 78 paid contributions in a three-year period if the income from his holding exceeds £2.00 daily. Inquiries revealed that the person concerned does not satisfy the contribution condition of 78 paid contributions in the three-year period applicable to his claim. His case was accordingly referred to a social welfare officer for investigation of his means to enable the income from his holding to be assessed. His entitlement to unemployment benefit will be determined in the light of the outcome of the inquiries.
The person concerned has been advised of his right to claim unemployment assistance pending the outcome of his unemployment benefit claim.
359.
(Limerick-West) asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a non-contributory old age pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick.
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 maximum weekly rate of £38.60 plus £2.80 over 80 allowance and £19.40 adult dependant allowance has been recommended by the social welfare officer with effect from 19 October 1983. The appropriate pension books have been issued on a provisional basis pending the committee's decision.
360.
(Limerick West) asked the Minister for Social Welfare when the maximum rate of unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick.
The person concerned applied for unemployment assistance on 22 October 1983 and was paid at £48.90 weekly being the appropriate maximum rate in his case of £66.90 less means £18.00 previously assessed against him. His case was referred to a social welfare officer for a reinvestigation of his means. When the inquiries are completed the means assessed against him will be reviewed and the rate of unemployment assistance payable to him will be determined accordingly.
361.
(Limerick West) asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick.
Entitlement to unemployment benefit is subject to the conditions that the claimant be available for work and satisfy the contribution conditions applicable at the date of claim.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit from 2 November 1981 but her claim was disallowed by a deciding officer on the grounds that she was not available for employment. An appeals officer also determined that she was not available for employment in respect of the period 2 November 1981 to 5 June 1982. She continued to sign as unemployed and again her claim was disallowed by a deciding officer from 9 June 1982 to 5 January 1983 on the grounds that she was not available for work. She appealed against the disallowance but an appeals officer reviewed the decision of the deciding officer and determined that she fulfilled the conditions of being available for work during that period. However, she was not entitled to payment of unemployment benefit as she did not satisfy the contribution conditions during the relevant contribution period 6 April 1980 to 5 April 1981. She was notified accordingly on 22 September 1983.
She has not signed as unemployed since 5 January 1983.
362.
(Limerick West) asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit payments will be restored to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 7 December 1982 and payment was issued from 10 December 1982, fourth day of incapacity to 6 December 1983. Payment was discontinued after that date as it was found that she was only entitled to pay contributions at a modified rate, Class J, from April 1979. These contributions only entitle her to benefit under the occupational injury benefit scheme and do not entitle her to payment of disability benefit.
363.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Meath as he submitted his claim in October 1983.
Following the completion of an investigation of his case the person concerned was assessed with means at £7.65 weekly derived form self-employment as a stallholder and from capital.
He is accordingly entitled to unemployment assistance at £20.35 weekly being the maximum rate of unemployment assistance payable to him £28.00 less £7.65. Arrangements have been made to pay all arrears due this week and further weekly payments will be made as they become due.
364.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Meath as he is married with five children and submitted his claim on 13 December 1983.
The person concerned claimed unemployment assistance on 13 December 1983 and his claim was referred to a social welfare officer for investigation of his means. Following the completion of inquiries he was assessed with nil means and his claim was allowed at the maximum rate payable to him £82.95 weekly.
All arrears due were paid on 26 January 1984 and further payments are being made as weekly payments become due.
365.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Meath.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 1 September 1983 and has been paid to 30 January 1984, the date of the latest medical certificate received.
366.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will grant unemployment assistance at the maximum rate to a person (details supplied) in County Laois.
The person concerned is in receipt of unemployment assistance at £11.20 weekly being the maximum rate payable to him £55.55 less means £44.35 derived from the value of the benefit accruing to him from residence on his parents' holdings.
He appealed against the amount of means assessed against him and the appeals officer assessed the means at £44.35.
If he is of the opinion that his circumstances have changed since his means were assessed by the appeals officer on 15 December 1982 it is open to him to apply for a reinvestigation of his means. A form for this purpose may be obtained at his local office.
367.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when arrears of disability and pay-related benefits will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Louth.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 16 November 1983 to 14 January 1984. All disability benefit and pay-related benefit due on her claim has been issued.
Payments which were issued to her were based on her insurance record as a married woman. Following further investigations it was established that she had additional contributions and earnings recorded under her single RSI number which qualify her for payment at a higher rate. An adjustment cheque representing the arrears due was issued to her on 3 February 1984.
368.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will grant the full rate of unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Laois as he is married and has no income.
Following reinvestigation of his unemployment assistance claim, the means assessed against the person concerned were increased from £1.45 per week to £10.00 per week. His means were derived from self-employment as a mechanic. Weekly payments of unemployment assistance at £56.90 per week, being the maximum rate payable to him, £66.90 less £10.00 means, continue to be made as they become due.
He appealed against the decision in his case, but an appeals officer upheld the assessment of his means at £10.00 weekly and he was notified accordingly on 4 January 1984.
369.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in granting unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Laois as it has been on appeal since August 1983.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed on the grounds that his means derived from land exceeded the statutory limit.
He advised his local office that he wished to appeal against the disallowance of his unemployment assistance claim and his case was referred for further inquiries. The papers were however misfiled causing delay in dealing with his appeal. The matter was recently rectified and arrangements are being made to have his appeal application determined by an appeals officer at the earliest opportunity.
His entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.
370.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit was not paid to a person (details supplied) in County Louth from July 1982.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 23 June 1983. She was not entitled to payment from 27 June 1983, the fourth day of her claim, to 31 December 1983 as she had not the required minimum of 26 contributions paid or credited in 1981-82, the contribution year governing her claim.
From 2 January 1984 her claim was governed by the 1982-83 contribution year and as she had 52 A1 contributions paid in that year she qualified for payment from that date. Payment of all benefit due from 2 January 1984 to 30 January 1984, date of the latest medical certificate received, has been issued.
371.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
Following reinvestigation of his means by a social welfare officer the unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed from 24 August 1983 on the grounds that his means derived from land exceeded the statutory limit.
An appeals officer assessed him with means in excess of the statutory limit but following the submission of additional information he revised his decision and assessed him with means at £57.75 weekly derived from the profit from his land with effect from 24 August 1983.
He is accordingly entitled to unemployment assistance at £18.80 weekly increased to £22.55 from 5 October 1983 and arrangements have been made to pay all arrears due this week.
Further payments at £22.55 weekly being the maximum rate payable to him £80.30 less £57.75 will be made as they become due.
372.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment and pay-related benefits will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The entitlement of the person concerned to unemployment benefit could not be determined until inquiries to establish his contribution record were completed. These inquiries are now complete and his claim has been authorised at £74.85 weekly, being the maximum rate appropriate to his case. All arrears due have been paid.
His entitlement to pay-related benefit has been calculated at £2.44 weekly from 31 January 1984. A payable order for arrears of pay-related benefit due will be issued to him for encashment on 10 February 1984.
Further weekly payments of £74.85 unemployment benefit and £2.44 pay-related benefit will continue as they become due.
373.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason only £18.35 per week social welfare benefit is being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cavan even though he is married.
The person concerned claimed unemployment assistance from 10 November 1982 and is in receipt of £18.35 per week being the appropriate maximum rate in his case of £48.35 less means of £30. His means are derived from benefit from his wife's earnings. He appealed against the assessment of his means but an appeals officer also assessed him with means at £30 per week.
He has applied to have his means reinvestigated and his case has been referred to a social welfare officer for inquiries. His means will be reviewed in the light of the social welfare officer's report and his rate of unemployment assistance will be determined accordingly.
374.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if it is intended to reduce or withdraw the financial assistance now provided by community welfare officers to persons who have difficulty in paying ESB bills.
Applications for assistance towards payment of ESB bills are dealt with under the provision in the supplementary welfare allowances scheme which enables a health board, in any case where it considers it reasonable, to make a single payment to meet an exceptional need. Payment of an allowance in such a case and the amount thereof are a matter for the health boards having regard to all the circumstances of each individual case. There is no specific provision, however, under the scheme for payment of ESB bills on a continuing basis.
There has been no change in the guidelines in relation to payments for exceptional needs and there are no plans to alter the guidelines.
375.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an old age pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Dublin.
The person concerned has been awarded an old age contributory pension with effect from 20 January 1984 at the rate appropriate to his yearly average of 47 contributions. His yearly average is calculated on the basis of his total of 1,410 reckonable contributions over the period from 5 January 1953 to 5 April 1983. A pension book containing orders payable from 3 February 1984 has been issued to the local post office for collection by him and he has been notified accordingly. The amount of old age contributory pension in respect of the period from 20 January 1984 to 2 February 1984, less the amount of supplementary welfare allowance paid to him in that period, will be issued to him by payable order within the next few days.
His claim for an old age contributory pension was received on 30 January 1984. There is no record of receipt of an earlier claim for this pension from him.
376.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The person concerned claimed unemployment assistance from 21 October 1983 and his case was referred to a social welfare officer for investigation of his means. Following completion of inquiries he was assessed with means of £1.00 per week derived from the profit from a plot of land.
He is accordingly entitled to unemployment assistance at £72.60 per week being the appropriate maximum rate of £73.60 less means of £1.00.
All arrears due, less amount refunded to the health board in respect of supplementary welfare allowance advanced, were paid to him on 2 February 1984.
Weekly payments at £72.60 will continue to be made as they fall due.
377.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason an old age pension is not being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Meath.
It was decided by an appeals officer on 30 December 1983 that the person concerned is not entitled to an old age pension as she does not fulfil the statutory condition as to means. The assessment of her means, consisting of half the weekly profit from a public house and a nominal sum in respect of letting value of land, exceeds the statutory limit of £42 per week.
378.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reasons unemployment assistance was discontinued in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Galway; if he will now direct his Department to pay unemployment assistance immediately as this person has no other income; the date on which he will be paid; the weekly amount that will be paid; the total amount of arrears that will be paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The person concerned reapplied for unemployment assistance at his local office on 12 January 1984. He was the holder of a qualification certificate with means assessed at £12.00 weekly. His claim was allowed at the weekly rate of £16.00, being the maximum rate payable to him £28.00 less £12.00. Arrears amounting to £21.50 were paid to him on 2 February 1984. Further weekly payments will be made to him as they become due.
He applied for a review of his means. His case has been forwarded to a social welfare officer for investigation. When the inquiries are completed, his means will be re-assessed and the rate of unemployment assistance payable to him will be reviewed in the light of the outcome.
379.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reasons a letter has not been forwarded to a person (details supplied) in County Galway outlining the weekly payments to which he would be entitled even if he had not claimed during each week of his incapacity from 26 April to 18 May, 1983; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
There is no trace of a claim for or inquiry regarding disability benefit having been received in the Department from the person concerned. He has had less than 26 contributions paid in respect of him since entering insurance in 1976 and for that reason cannot qualify for benefit. Furthermore he has had no contributions registered in the 1980-81 and 1981-82 contribution years and regulations provide that where a claimant has no contributions paid or credited for two consecutive contribution years preceding his claim he is not qualified for payment of disability benefit or the award of credited contributions in respect of periods of unemployment or incapacity for work. He commenced signing the unemployed register on 24 January 1984 and his application for unemployment assistance is under consideration at the moment.
380.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an old age pension at the maximum rate will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry.
The application of the person concerned for an increase in pension has been referred to the local pension committee for decision. Payment of pension at the maximum rate of £38.60 plus £19.40 adult dependant allowance from 12 December 1983, the date of receipt of application, has been recommended by the social welfare officer. The appropriate pension books implementing the increase recommended have issued on a provisional basis pending the committee's decision.
381.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an old age pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry.
It has been decided by an appeals officer that the person concerned is entitled to an old age pension from 11 February 1983 at the weekly rate of £14.45 which increased to £18.60 from 1 July 1983. This is the rate to which she is entitled having regard to the assessment of her means, consisting of half the weekly value of profit from horse trading and capital. The appropriate pension book payable from 13 January 1984 and a payable order covering the arrears due in respect of the period 11 February 1983 to 12 January 1984 have been issued.
382.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying unemployment benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry.
The entitlement to unemployment benefit of the person concerned could not be determined until inquiries to establish that he fulfilled the contribution condition of having 78 paid contributions in a three year period and that he satisfied the condition of being available for work were completed.
The investigations were recently completed and his unemployment benefit claim was allowed at the maximum rate of £82.50. He is a postal applicant and a payable order issued to him last week for encashment at his local post office paying all arrears due and further weekly payments will be made as they become due.
383.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason an appeal against the decision to refuse unemployment benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry was disallowed recently by an appeals officer in Tralee in view of the fact that she is available for work.
The unemployment benefit claim of the person concerned was initially disallowed by a deciding officer on the grounds that she was not available for work. An oral hearing of her appeal was held on 24 January 1984 at which she attended and gave evidence on her own behalf. Following consideration of the matter the appeals officer also decided that she was not available for work.
384.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if full-time third level students are accepted as available for work at certain times of the year for the purposes of eligibility for unemployment benefit or assistance; if so, how these times are determined; and the procedures that exist to ensure that full-time third level students do not draw social welfare payments at times other than those, if any, referred to.
Full-time third level students would not be regarded as available for work for the purposes of unemployment benefit or unemployment assistance during the course of the academic year. During holiday periods, however, students can qualify for unemployment benefit or assistance if they are available for and seeking employment and if they satisfy the other conditions for entitlement.
In the normal course when the academic term recommences the entitlement of any student who has been in receipt of benefit or assistance during the holiday period is subject to review in order to establish whether the conditions for entitlement continue to be fulfilled.