asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5 has been refused unemployment benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
406.
Following the submission of a test case to a deciding officer the unemployment benefit claim of the person concerned on 16 February 1984 was disallowed on the grounds that she lost her employment by reason of a stoppage of work due to a trade dispute at her place of employment.
The decision on the test case has been appealed and the matter has been referred to an Appeals Officer for determination. Her entitlement to unemployment benefit will be reviewed in the light of the appeals officer's decision.
407.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the position regarding the application of a person (details supplied) in County Leitrim for unemployment benefit which he made on 10 December 1983.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 5 December 1983 and following the completion of inquiries to establish that he satisfied the availability conditions his claim has been authorised at £74.85 weekly, being the appropriate maximum rate in his case. All arrears due less unemployment assistance he received in the meantime will be paid to him this week. Further weekly payments of £74.85 will continue to be made as they become due.
408.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if the maximum rate of unemployment benefit and pay-related benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny, as she has been signing since 11 January 1984.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 17 January 1984 and her claim was allowed at £34.80 weekly being the maximum rate appropriate in her case. All arrears due have been paid to her.
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 refund paid may not exceed 85 per cent of the net average weekly earnings. The 85 per cent limit in the case of the person concerned is £24.00. As she is in receipt of flat-rate unemployment benefit of £34.80 weekly she is not therefore entitled to pay-related benefit.
Weekly payments of £34.80 will continue to be made as they become due.
409.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if arrears of old age pension due to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny will be paid at an early date.
The mother of the person concerned was in receipt of widow's contributory pension when she died on 28 September 1983. She had cashed the orders in her pension book up to Friday 16 September and one week's pension at the rate of £44.40 therefore due to her for Friday 23 September.
It is usual in such cases to receive a claim from the next of kin of the deceased but none had been received to date in this instance. A form on which to claim the arrears has now been sent to the person concerned and when returned duly completed the arrears will be paid.
410.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a decision on an unemployment assistance appeal has not as yet been reached for a person (details supplied) in County Galway as he has been signing on for the past 18 months.
The application of the person concerned for unemployment assistance on 11 January 1983 was disallowed on the grounds that he failed to furnish full details of his means. He appealed against the disallowance and an appeals officer confirmed the deciding officer's decision. He was issued with a further application form to have his means re-investigated on 5 March 1984. When he completes and returns the application form to his local office his case will again be referred to a social welfare officer for inquiries into his means. His entitlement to unemployment assistance will be determined in the light of the means assessed against him.
411.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit for the months of February and March 1983 has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned was paid disability benefit from 3 January 1983 to 31 December 1983. She informed the Department that she did not receive a cheque for £134.56 which was issued to her on 26 April 1983 and represented payment for the period from 2 February to 1 April 1983. Investigations have revealed that the cheque was not cashed and a replacement cheque was issued to her on 12 March 1984.
412.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be restored to a person (details supiplied) in County Galway.
The unemployment assistance application of the person concerned was disallowed from 22 February 1984 on the grounds that his means, derived from land, exceeded the statutory limit in his case of £2,587.00 a year. It is open to him to appeal against the decision and to have his means determined by an appeals officer. A form for this purpose may be obtained at his local office.
413.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if an old age pensioner (details supplied) in County Kilkenny is being overcharged PRSI; and, if so, if he will arrange to have a refund made.
It has been confirmed from the Paymaster-General's Office, which is the paying agency for the occupational pension being paid to the person concerned, that PRSI contributions at the Class K rate, which is currently 3 per cent, are being deducted from this pension. This is the correct rate of contribution payable by a person who does not hold a medical services card in respect of such a pension.
414.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a person (details supplied) in County Galway is in receipt of the maximum rate of unemployment assistance.
The person concerned is in receipt of unemployment assistance at £26.10 weekly being the appropriate maximum rate in his case of £28.00 less means of £1.90 derived from capital and the value of board and lodging on his parents' holding.
415.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an appeal by a person (details supplied) in County Galway will be decided on.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed from 25 January 1984 on the grounds that his means derived from land exceed the statutory limit in his case of £4,916.60 per year. He appealed against the amount of means assessed against him and his case has been referred to a social welfare officer for additional inquiries. When these inquiries are completed the case will be referred to the appeals officer for determination of the amount of means appropriate in his case. His entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the appeals officer's decision.
416.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment assistance has not yet been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo.
The application of the person concerned for unemployment assistance on 6 December 1983 was authorised at £15.60 weekly being the appropriate maxumum rate in her case of £28.00 less means of £12.40 derived from board and lodging on her father's holding. All arrears due were paid last week. Further payments of £15.60 will continue to be made as they become due.
417.
(Limerick West) asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an invalidity pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick.
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 an invalidity pension.
The person concerned was examined on 1 February 1984 by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that he was capable of work. He is not therefore qualified to receive invalidity pension.
418.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if the maximum rate of unemployment assistance is being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned is in receipt of unemployment assistance at £15.20 weekly being the appropriate maximum rate in her case of £29.40 less means £14.20 derived from capital. She appealed against the amount of means assessed against her and the appeals officer confirmed the deciding officer's decision. Further weekly payments of £15.20 will continue to be made as they become due.
419.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason the maximum unemployment assistance allowance is not being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo.
The person concerned is in receipt of unemployment assistance at £22.55 per week being the appropriate maximum rate in his case of £29.40 less means £6.85. He applied for a review of his means in September 1983 and his application was inadvertently delayed. His case has now been referred to a social welfare officer for inquiries into his means and his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the social welfare officer's report. In the meantime weekly payments of £22.55 will continue to be made as they become due.
420.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Galway has not been paid her disability benefits; the date on which they will be paid; the weekly amount and the amount of arrears that will be paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 6 January 1981 and payment was issued to her to 30 July 1983.
Payment was disallowed from 1 August 1983 following her examination by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that she was capable of work. She appealed against the disallowance and in connection with her appeal she was examined on 19 October 1983 by a different medical referree who also was of the opinion that she was capable of work. The decision to disallow payment of disability benefit was subsequently upheld by an appeals officer who decided on 23 January 1984 that she was capable of work during the period from 1 August 1983 to 11 August 1983, the date of the latest medical certificate before him. The decision of an appeals officer is final and can only be altered in the light of new evidence which was not before him at the time of making his decision.
The claimant subsequently submitted medical evidence on 30 January 1984, in respect of the same incapacity for the period from 11 September 1983 to 11 January 1984. Payment was not, however, allowed and she was informed accordingly and advised of her right to appeal against the disallowance but has not done so, to date.
421.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 11 January 1984 and all payment due to 5 March 1984, date of the latest medical evidence received, has now been issued.
422.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a decision on an appeal against a reduction in unemployment assistance will be made for a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
Following a re-investigation of his case the unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed from 14 September 1983 on the grounds that his means derived from land exceeded the statutory limit in his case of £2,587.00 a year. He appealed against the assessment of his means and in the light of contentions made in support of his appeal the case was referred to a social welfare officer for further inquiries. These inquiries were recently completed and the appeal has been referred to an appeals officer for determination of his means. His entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the appeals officer's decision.
423.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a decision will be made on an appeal for unemployment assistance for a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned was in receipt of unemployment assistance up to 5 July 1983 at the weekly rate of £27.00 being the maximum amount appropriate in his case of £28.00 less £1.00 means. Following review of his case, his means were increased to £28.85 derived from his father's holding and as this amount exceeds the maximum rate of unemployment assistance payable to him, his claim had to be disallowed. He ceased signing on 12 July, 1983. He appealed against the decision to disallow his claim and the appeals officer confirmed the means assessed against him. He was notified of the decision on 9 March 1984.
424.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment benefit has been refused to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The claim of the person concerned to unemployment benefit on 30 September 1983 was authorised at £34.80 weekly being the maximum rate appropriate in her case. Her claim has however been disallowed from 6 February 1984, when she commenced part time working Monday to Friday each week, on the grounds that she is not wholly unemployed.