asked the Minister for Social Welfare if an Irish retirement pension will be awarded to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; and, if so, when.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
457.
One of the qualifying conditions for receipt of a retirement pension under the Social Welfare Acts requires the person concerned to have a yearly average of at least 24 reckonable contributions over the period from 5 January 1953 to the end of the last complete contribution year before he reached age 65. The person concerned does not satisfy the condition as the Department's records show that he had a total of only 635 Irish contributions in the required period which, in his case, is from 5 January 1953 to 5 April 1983. This is equal to a yearly average of only 21. He will qualify for an old age contributory pension at age 66 for which he only needs a yearly average of 20 reckonable contributions from 5 January 1953 to 5 April 1984.
Under EEC Regulations he qualifies for an Irish pro rata retirement pension on the basis of his combined British and Irish records from 1953, at the weekly rate of £30.95 from 1 December 1983 in respect of himself and his wife plus a further £9.30 per week in respect of a child dependant. A retirement pension book containing orders payable from 5 April 1984 at the rate of £30.95 and a supplementary book containing orders payable from the same date at the rate of £9.30 have been issued to the designated post office for collection by him and he has been notified accordingly.
It is understood from the British Department of Health and Social Security that there appears to have been an overpayment of the amount of British child benefit paid to him with his British retirement pension. In accordance with EEC Regulations the arrears of the child dependent's allowance payable to him by the Department of Social Welfare for the period from 1 December 1983 to 4 April 1984 are being sent to the Department of Health and Social Security which will retain the amount overpaid and send the balance to the pensioner.
The arrears of pro-rata retirement pension in respect of the pensioner and his wife from 1 December 1983 will be issued direct to the pensioner in the next few days.
458.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Offaly as he applied three months ago.
The application of the person concerned for unemployment assistance on 24 January 1984 has, following the completion of inquiries into his means, been authorised at £10.90 a week being the appropriate maximum rate in his case of £28.00 less means £17.10 derived from the value of board and lodgings in his parents' home. All arrears due will be paid to him this week. Further weekly payments of £10.90 will continue to be made as they become due.
459.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the issue of disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Offaly for the period 20 to 27 October 1983.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 23 July 1983 and was paid from 23 July 1983, fourth day of incapacity.
He was requested to attend for a medical referee examination on 19 October 1983 but he failed to do so. The explanation for his non-attendance was not regarded as satisfactory and a six weeks disqualification was imposed from 20 October 1983.
He was subsequently certified fit to resume work by his own doctor on 28 October 1983. There are, therefore, no arrears of benefit due to him.
460.
(Limerick West) asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance for two weeks will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick.
The person concerned, who applied for unemployment assistance on 4 March 1984 and ceased to sign the unemployment register on 20 March 1984, was not available for interview by the social welfare officer inquiring into his means. If he gets in touch with his local office, arrangements will be made to have his means investigated. His entitlement to unemployment assistance for the period from 4 March 1984 to 20 March 1984 will be determined in the light of the means assessed against him.
461.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if persons (details supplied) in County Wexford are entitled to unemployment benefit, any other type of benefit or an increase in disablement benefit in view of their circumstances.
The person first mentioned is in receipt of disablement benefit under the occupational injuries scheme from 1 March 1983 at the rate appropriate to disablement provisionally assessed at 10 per cent arising from an accident at work on 21 January 1982. The latest payment made to her was a gratuity of £128.54 in respect of the period from 1 March 1984 to 30 November 1984.
Where the claimant is provisionally assessed at less than 20 per cent benefit is paid by way of periodic gratuity. An increase of disablement benefit by way of unemployability supplement is confined to disablement pensioners and she is not therefore entitled to unemployability supplement. Her employment was insurable for occupational injuries benefit only and the contributions do not reckon for either disability or unemployment benefit.
Her husband is in receipt of disability benefit including an increase in respect of her with the result that she would not qualify for unemployment assistance. She may however be entitled to supplementary welfare allowance for which a claim may be made to the South Eastern Health Board.
The other person referred to is in receipt of disablement benefit by way of a pension. Following an examination by a medical referee she was assessed as 20 per cent disabled and was considered to be incapable of work as a result of an occupational disease. She did not satisfy the qualifying conditions for disability benefit and accordingly she was also allowed unemployability supplement to disablement benefit which is being paid at present at the rate of £30.60 a week. She is accordingly receiving the full benefits to which she is entitled under the occupational injuries scheme.
462.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in transferring a children's allowance book to a person (details supplied) in County Cork; if he will make an allowance available; and if all outstanding arrears will be paid.
Children's allowance was transferred to the person concerned in June 1983. The allowance book was, however, recently recalled by my Department following receipt of information that one of the children was no longer residing with the claimant.
Investigations revealed that the child in question has been in care since November 1983. As the allowance book was cashed up to February 1984 an overpayment of £52.50 has arisen on the claim. This overpayment is now being recovered from the claimant's current entitlements at the rate of £11.25 per month.
An allowance book payable from March 1984 at £45.00 has been reissued to the claimant. Allowance will be restored to the correct rate of £60.25 for five qualified children from August 1984.