asked the Minister for Social Welfare if an old age-pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
486.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
484.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if an old age-pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 484 and 486 together as they relate to a husband and wife.
The old age pension claims of the persons concerned have been partially investigated. On completion of inquiries, they will be referred to the local pension committee for decision.
If payment of pensions is recommended by the social welfare officer they will be put into payment on a provisional basis pending the pension committee's decisions.
485.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an unmarried mother's allowance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Louth; if he is aware that this application has been made almost six months ago; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The person concerned has been awarded unmarried mother's allowance with effect from 29 September 1983, at the maximum rate of £47.70 per week for a mother and one child.
An order book payable from 15 March 1984 has been issued to the designated post office for collection by her and she has been notified accordingly. Arrears for the period from 29 September 1983 to 14 March 1984, less the amount of supplementary welfare allowance paid to her by the North Eastern Health Board during that time, will be sent to her shortly.
She originally claimed this allowance on 19 October 1983 and an officer of the Department made two calls to the address given by her but did not get a reply on either occasion. It later transpired, however, that she had changed her address and she was interviewed there on 20 February 1984.
487.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when the pay-related rate of unemployment benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry as he is on his British contributions and is being paid at £74.75 per week flat rate.
Entitlement to pay-related benefit with flat-rate unemployment benefit is subject to the condition that the weekly sum of pay-related benefit, flat-rate unemployment benefit and income tax rebate may not exceed 85 per cent of the net average weekly earnings of a claimant.
The 85 per cent limit applicable to the person concerned is £43.24, and as the flat-rate unemployment benefit payable since 5 September 1983 is £74.85 weekly, pay-related benefit is not payable in his case.
488.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the cause of the long delay in paying unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry who is now seeking supplementary welfare allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed on the grounds that his means from self-employment exceeded the statutory limit. He appealed against the assessment of his means and the case was returned to the social welfare officer for further inquiries. It is expected that the social welfare officer's inquiries will be completed shortly after which his case will be referred to the appeals officer for determination. His entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.
489.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry.
The entitlement to unemployment benefit from 7 February 1984 of the person concerned could not be determined until inquiries to establish that he was available for, capable of and genuinely seeking employment were completed. These inquiries were recently completed and his claim was allowed at £94.55 weekly, being the maximun rate appropriate in his case. 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.
490.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the up-to-date position on an appeal for the restoration of his unemployment assistance by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed on the grounds that his means derived from land exceeded the statutory limit. He appealed against the assessment of his means and the case was referred back to the social welfare officer for further inquiries. These inquiries have been completed and the claim has been referred to an appeals officer for determination. The case will be dealt with by the appeals officer at the earliest opportunity after which his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.
491.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an increased rate of unemployment assistance will be granted to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry.
The means of the person concerned were assessed at £28.85 derived from fishing, board and lodgings on his parents' holding, and capital with effect from 26 February 1983. He is accordingly in receipt of unemployment assistance at £29.45, being the maximum rate payable to him £58.30 less £28.85. He re-applied on 30 January 1984 to have his means re-assessed and the claim was referred to a social welfare officer for re-investigation. The case is in transit to a deciding officer in headquarters for review of his means on the basis of the report of the social welfare officer. His entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reconsidered in the light of the outcome.
492.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a free telephone rental allowance will be granted to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry.
The person concerned has been approved for free telephone rental allowance and a notification to this effect was issued to him on 9 March 1984. Telecom Éireann has been advised of the decision and will arrange to apply the allowance from the date on which telephone service is provided.
493.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a deserted wife's allowance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork and the reason for the delay in payment.
As conveyed to the Deputy on 14 February 1984 in a written reply to a previous question from him about this case, the claim of the person concerned for a deserted wife's payment was disallowed in September last. It was also stated in the reply that a form on which to appeal against the disallowance had been sent to the claimant. The completed form was received in the Department on 29 February 1984 and the case has been submitted to an appeals officer for determination.
494.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the long delay in restoring unemployment assistance at the maximum rate on appeal, to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry who has appealed; and when he will receive payment in view of his serious financial position.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed from 6 July 1983 on the grounds that his means, derived from land, exceeded the statutory limit. He appealed against the assessment of his means but an appeals officer also decided that they exceeded the statutory limit. He applied to have his means re-investigated stating that he had submitted a list of further expenses to his local office. However, inquiries made to date revealed that the list of expenses was sent to a third party and that it has not yet been received at this Department. He has been asked to supply details of the contents of the list after which his case will be referred to a social welfare officer for a further investigation and his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be determined in the light of the outcome.
495.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason an application for a non-contributory old age pension made by a person (details supplied) in County Limerick has not been acknowledged.
From the particulars supplied it has not been possible to trace an old age pension application from the person concerned in the records of the Department. A claim form has, therefore, been issued to him. On receipt of the completed form in the Department his entitlement will be investigated and he will be notified of the outcome.
496.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a maternity benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
Maternity benefit is now in payment to the person concerned. The authorisation of payment was held up for a time while difficulties regarding her contribution record were being resolved.
497.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if an increased rate of unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
Following the completion of extensive inquiries, the person concerned was assessed with means at £50.75 weekly derived from the profit from land and from capital with effect from 6 September 1983 on which date he last claimed unemployment assistance. He is accordingly entitled to unemployment assistance at £4.80 weekly, being the maximum rate payable to him £55.55 less £50.75, and arrangements have been made to pay all arrears due this week. Further weekly payments will follow as they become due. If he is dissatisfied with the amount of means assessed against him it is open to him to appeal and to have his means determined by an appeals officer. A form for this purpose may be obtained at his local office.
498.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 1 received no increase in his unemployment assistance in 1983; and when he will receive the increase.
The person concerned has been in continuous receipt of unemployment assistance at £71.55 weekly since 18 October 1983. Due to an error at the employment exchange dealing with his claim he was underpaid by £3.55 weekly as he was a long term recipient of unemployment assistance and entitled to unemployment assistance at the rate of £75.10 weekly.
Arrangements have been made to increase the weekly rate payable to him this week and the balance of any arrears due from the commencement of his claim will be paid as soon as it is clarified whether reimbursement of supplementary welfare allowance is due to be made to his local health board.
499.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will review his decision regarding the granting of a free telephone rental to a person (details supplied) in County Dublin as she receives an American pension though she is an Irish citizen.
To be entitled to a free telephone rental allowance a person must be in receipt of a qualifying type pension or allowance. The American pension which the person concerned is receiving does not provide entitlement under the scheme and her application had, therefore, to be disallowed.
500.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if the maximum rate of disability benefit and pay-related benefit is being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny who has been out of work since 21 December 1983.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 19 December 1983 and all benefit due from 22 December 1983, fourth day of incapacity to 6 March 1984, date of the latest medical certificate received, has issued to him at the maximum rate payable to a single man. Pay-related benefit at £9.57 per week, based on his reckonable earnings in the 1981-82 income tax year, has been issued from 9 January 1984, nineteenth day of incapacity. A form on which to claim for his dependants was issued to him on 20 January 1984 but has not been returned to date. A second claim form has been issued and on receipt of the completed form his claim will be reviewed.
501.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary as the application has been in his Department for the past four months.
The entitlement of the person concerned to unemployment benefit expired on 13 February 1984, after payment of 390 days benefit. To requalify for benefit he would require to have not less than a further 13 weeks of insurable employment for which the appropriate rate of contribution has been paid. He applied for unemployment assistance from 14 February 1984, and his claim was allowed at the weekly rate of £58.30 from that date. This is the rate appropriate to a married person with one child dependant, resident in a rural area and whose weekly means have been assessed as nil.
502.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo.
Entitlement to unemployment benefit is subject to the condition that a claimant must be fully available for work. When the person concerned claimed unemployment benefit, she was only available for evening work and consequently her claim was disallowed. She obtained an appeal application form at her local office and when she returns it arrangements will be made to have her case determined by an appeals officer. Her entitlement to unemployment benefit will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.
503.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a person (details supplied) in County Mayo is entitled to unemployment benefit.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit from 25 January 1984 but his claim was disallowed on the grounds that he had insufficient contributions during the governing contribution year 6 April 1982 to 5 April 1983. He applied for unemployment assistance and his claim was referred to a social welfare officer for investigation. Inquiries are still being made in the case and when they are completed his means will be assessed and his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be determined.
504.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an application for unemployment assistance will be decided upon for a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned has been assessed with means of £9.10 weekly, derived from capital. He is accordingly entitled to unemployment assistance at £46.45 weekly, being the maximum rate payable to him £55.55 weekly less £9.10 means. Payment will commence this week. The balance of any arrears due will be paid as soon as the amount of supplementary welfare allowance which was paid to him pending the outcome of his unemployment assistance claim is known.
505.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in County Galway will be considered for free gas light.
There is no trace of receipt in the Department of an application for free bottled gas from the person concerned. An application form has, therefore, been issued to him and when the completed application is received his entitlement will be considered and he will be notified of the outcome.
506.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether he will review an application for a free electricity allowance made by a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The free electricity allowance which applied to the account of the person concerned was terminated as his son who was resident with him was not a person who came within the excepted categories for satisfying the living alone condition of the scheme. In the light of the information supplied by the Deputy, further inquiries are being made. When these are completed, his entitlement will be reviewed and he will be notified of the outcome.
507.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether persons (details supplied) in County Galway are entitled to a free telephone rental and free travel passes.
There is no trace of the receipt in the Department of an application for free telephone rental allowance from the persons concerned and the information available is not sufficient to enable a decision to be made in their case. An application form has issued to them and on receipt of the completed application a decision will be made in their case and they will be notified of the outcome. Free travel passes were issued to the persons concerned on 9 March 1984.
508.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for a review of an application for a free electricity allowance made by a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
One of the conditions for receipt of a free electricity allowance is that the applicant must be living alone or, if living with another person, the latter must be an excepted person for the purpose of the scheme.
The person concerned is living with her daughter who is not an excepted person. The daughter is receiving unemployment assistance on the basis that she is available for full-time employment. She is not for this reason an excepted person for the purposes of the free electricity allowance scheme and the person concerned does not satisfy the conditions for receipt of the allowance.
509.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason an application for free electricity was refused for a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The free electricity allowance which applied to the account of the person concerned since 1978 was terminated as his son who is resident with him no longer comes within the excepted categories for satisfying the living alone condition of the scheme.
510.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; when he will be paid; and the amount that will be paid.
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 from 14 February 1984. His case is being examined to establish whether he fulfils the conditions of being available for work. His entitlement to unemployment benefit will be determined in the light of the outcome of these inquiries.
511.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a free electricity allowance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
There is no trace either in the Department or in the district ESB office of the receipt of an application for a free electricity allowance from the person concerned. An application form has therefore been issued to him and it should be completed and forwarded in the first instance to the ESB for attention. On receipt of the completed application in the Department the matter will be considered further and he will be notified of the outcome.
512.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason the maximum rate of disability benefit is not being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 6 February 1984 and was paid from 9 February 1984, fourth day of incapacity, to 11 February 1984, after which date he was certified fit to resume work. He had incurred an overpayment of benefit on a previous claim of which £197.51 was still outstanding. A sum of £4.02 was withheld and offset against the overpayment and a cheque for the balance of benefit due was issued to him on 20 February 1984. Subject to this adjustment, he was paid at the maximum rate for a married couple with six dependent children.
513.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in making a decision on an application for a burial allowance made by a person (details supplied) in County Limerick.
In order to qualify for a death grant, the father or mother of the person concerned would have required to fulfil certain contribution conditions since 1 October 1970—the date the death grant scheme was introduced. Neither parent of the person concerned has any contributions since that date and a death grant is not, therefore, payable. There is no record of a claim to death grant having been received from the person concerned.
514.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the long delay in having an application for free electricity decided upon for a person (details supplied) in County Waterford.
The person concerned applied for a free electricity allowance on 23 January 1984 and her application was refused on 7 February 1984 on the grounds that the living alone conditions of the scheme was not satisfied in her case. Her application indicated that her daughter and grandson were residing with her.
On review of the application it is now accepted that in the circumstances of the case both her daughter and grandson may be regarded as excepted persons for the purposes of satisfying the living alone conditions of the scheme. Her application is, therefore, being granted and the ESB has been instructed to apply the allowance to her electricity account from the date on which she became the registered consumer of electricity.