asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
604.
The entitlement to unemployment benefit of the person concerned could not be determined until protracted inquiries had been made to establish that his employment during the relevant contribution period 6 April 1981 to 5 April 1982 was insurable in a contribution class which provides cover against unemployment. The investigations were recently completed and his claim was allowed at the maximum rate payable to a single man and all arrears due were paid last week. Further weekly payments at £34.80 will be made as they become due.
605.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a children's allowance has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 8 despite the fact that the child is now nine months old and she applied when the child was eight weeks old; and if the allowance will now be paid.
The person concerned claimed children's allowance on 5 March 1984 in respect of her son who was born on 17 June 1983. There is no trace of an earlier claim having been received in respect of this child.
Children's allowance was awarded from 1 April 1984 in respect of the child and an allowance book payable from that date was issued to the claimant on 5 April 1984. This is the earliest date from which payment could be made having regard to the date on which the claim was submitted. However, because the claimant stated that an earlier claim was made for this child the matter has been referred to a social welfare officer for investigation. When his report is received the case will be reviewed and the question of paying arrears will be considered.
606.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny as she has been signing for nine weeks.
The person concerned is an applicant for unemployment benefit. Her entitlement to benefit could not be determined until inquiries to establish that she fulfilled the conditions of being unemployed had been completed. These investigations were recently completed and her claim was allowed at £30.60 weekly. She is a postal applicant and arrangements have been made to issue an order for encashment at her local post office paying all arrears due this week. Further payments will be made as weekly payments become due.
607.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Meath as she signed at Trim employment exchange from July 1983 to February 1984.
The entitlement of the person concerned to unemployment assistance could not be determined until investigations about her means were completed. The inquiries were recently completed and her means have been assessed at £6.50 weekly derived from board and lodgings in her parents' home. She is entitled to unemployment assistance at the weekly rate of £21.50 being £28 less means £6.50.
She has been written to and asked to call to her local office for the purpose of being paid all the arrears due to her. According to the local office records she signed as unemployed from 22 November 1983 to 2 February 1984.
608.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if an invalidity pension will be awarded to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The person concerned is being paid disability benefit at regular weekly intervals and payment has been made to date. A form on which to claim invalidity pension has been forwarded to him and on its return, duly completed, the claim will be dealt with without delay.
609.
Mr. Coughlan
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when it is intended to grant an increase in the rate of invalidity pension being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if a supplementary book will be issued to cover such an increase.
Increased rates of invalidity pension provided for in the budget will be paid from 5 July 1984. A supplementary pension order book, payable from that date, covering this increase was issued to the designated post office of payment on 18 April 1984.
610.
Mr. Coughlan
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a qualification certificate has been refused to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
The person concerned claimed unemployment assistance from 5 March 1984 and his case was referred to a social welfare officer for investigation of his means. Following the completion of inquiries he was assessed with nil means. He is accordingly entitled to unemployment assistance at the maximum rate of £28 with effect from 5 March 1984 and all arrears due were paid on 19 April 1984. Weekly payments of £28 continue to be made to him as they become due.
611.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason social welfare assistance from 21 October 1981 to April 1982 has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Carlow.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed from 21 October 1981 to 31 March 1982 on the grounds that he failed to disclose his means to the social welfare officer investigating his case. He appealed against the disallowance of his claim but an appeals officer also decided that he failed to disclose his means and disallowed his unemployment assistance claim. He applied for a review of his case from 1 April 1982 and following the completion of inquiries his claim was allowed from that date and weekly payments are being made to him as they become due. His present weekly rate of unemployment assistance is £29.40.
612.
Mr. Coughlan
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the total payment of invalidity benefit and pension to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal for the years ended 31 March 1983 and 1984.
The total amount of invalidity pension paid to the person concerned in respect of the year which ended on 31 March 1983 (including an extra week at Christmas 1982) was £4,012.10. The total amount of pension paid in respect of the year which ended on 31 March 1984 (including an extra week at Christmas 1983) was £4,376.10. Disability benefit ceased to be paid from 4 December 1980 when the person concerned was transferred to invalidity pension.
613.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will outline the financial circumstances of a person (details supplied) in County Galway who applied for unemployment assistance and who was found to have a weekly rated means in excess of £6.30 per week; and if he will detail the source of the income which he was determined to have.
The investigation of the means of the person concerned by a social welfare officer revealed that he was engaged in self-employment and that in addition to land personally used by him he enjoyed the benefit of land let. Following an appeal by him against the amount of means assessed against him an appeals officer assessed him with means of £36.30 weekly derived from the value of self-employment at £240 per annum, land personally used at £1,000 per annum and the letting of land at £650 per annum. The amount of means assessed against him exceeded the maximum rate of unemployment assistance payable to him as a single man and his unemployment assistance claim was disallowed. He ceased to sign as unemployed after 3 April 1984.
614.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an old age pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
It was decided by the local pension committee on 27 July 1983 that the person concerned is not entitled to an old age pension as he does not fulfil the statutory condition as to means. His means, consisting of half the weekly value of a shop, capital and a holding are in excess of the statutory limit of £42.00 per week.
An appeal against this decision was made on 15 November 1983 and the case was referred to an appeals officer, who required further information before giving his decision. This information is being sought and when it is received the matter will be referred back to the appeals officer for his determination and the person concerned will be notified of the outcome in due course.
The delay in finalising the claim is due to the fact that deeds of transfer of a shop and a holding which have been requested have not yet been received.
615.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a free television licence will be granted to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
Departmental records indicate that the person concerned claimed a free electricity allowance in 1982 but he did not satisfy the living alone conditions of the scheme. The conditions for receipt of a free television licence are similar and if his domestic circumstances remain the same he would not qualify for a free television licence.
An explanatory leaflet has been issued to him on the schemes and if his domestic circumstances have changed in the meantime it is open to him to reapply for the free electricity allowance at his nearest ESB office and for the free television licence at his nearest post office.
616.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the position in regard to an application for unemployment benefit made by a person (details supplied) in County Galway; the date of the application; and the reason for the long delay in having a decision communicated to him.
The person concerned does not satisfy the contribution conditions for unemployment benefit. He claimed unemployment assistance from 6 October 1983 but his claim was disallowed for six weeks from that date on the grounds that he was not genuinely seeking employment and accordingly he did not fulfil the condition of being available for work. He was disallowed for a further six weeks from 17 November 1983 and he was advised accordingly on 21 November 1983. He appealed on 2 February 1984 against the disallowance of his unemployment assistance claims and arrangements were made to hold an oral hearing of his case on 1 May 1984. His entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.
617.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason only £8.65 unemployment assistance is being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and the reason for the reduction.
The person concerned was assessed with means at £20.75 weekly derived from the value of board and lodging in his parent's home. He was accordingly paid unemployment assistance at £8.65 being the maximum rate payable to him, £29.40 less £20.75. However his case was recently reviewed and in the light of further details about the case a deciding officer reduced the assessment of his means to nil from the commencement of his unemployment assistance claim. Arrangements have been made to pay all arrears of unemployment assistance due this week and further payments at £29.40 weekly will be made as they become due.
618.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the position in regard to an application for a free telephone rental allowance made by a person (details supplied) in County Limerick.
The person concerned is residing with his daughter who has been granted a free telephone rental allowance. A notification to this effect was issued to her on 19 April 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.
619.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a deserted wife is classed as a single parent for the computation of social welfare benefits in the same way as an unmarried single parent.
The social insurance and assistance schemes for deserted wives are framed to provide generally the same benefit and allowance payments for qualified deserted wives in respect of themselves and their children, if any, as apply to the schemes for widows. The conditions for entitlement include a provision that in order to qualify for payment the claimant must not be cohabiting with any person as man and wife.
In the case of the social assistance allowance for unmarried mothers, the means test is the same as that for receipt of the social assistance scheme for deserted wives. An unmarried mother must have a qualified child dependent on her in order to be eligible for payment; this condition applies to a deserted wife only until she reaches 40 years of age. Allowances under the general scheme of children's allowances are also payable in respect of all qualified children.
620.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the position in regard to an application for a contributory old age pension by a person (details supplied) in County Limerick.
An application for widow's pension was received from the person concerned.
In order to qualify for widow's contributory pension there must be, on either the late husband's or the widow's own insurance, a yearly average of at least 39 contributions in either the last three or five contribution years prior to the husband's death or a yearly average of at least 24 contributions over the period from entry into insurance up to the end of the contribution year prior to his death.
The late husband in this case was self-employed and had no insurance under the social welfare system. The widow herself had an insurance record prior to her marriage but, according to the records of the Department, has not had any insurable employment since the date of her marriage in July 1964. According to the records she has a total of 783 reckonable contributions in respect of the period from 1948-49, the year she entered insurance, up to July 1964. This gives an average of 22 contributions over the period from the 1948-49 contribution year to 5 April 1983, the end of the contribution year before her husband's death. She does not, therefore, satisfy either of the three average tests and is accordingly not qualified for receipt of the contributory pension.
One of the conditions for the receipt of a widow's non-contributory pension is that the claimant's means must not exceed the applicable statutory limit. She is under 66 years of age with one qualified child and in these circumstances the limit is £50.00 per week. The means of the person concerned were assessed at £123.35 per week derived from her two thirds intestacy interest in a petrol station and her claim to widow's non-contributory pension was accordingly refused.
She appealed against the refusal of both the contributory and non-contributory pensions and her case has been referred to an appeals officer for determination. She will be notified of the outcome as soon as the appeals officer gives his decision.
621.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the position in regard to the pension of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick.
The person concerned was paid disability benefit from 9 April 1973 and was transferred to invalidity pension with effect from 19 October 1978. The present rate of pension is £65.55, that is the rate appropriate to a married man with no child dependants who has not attained the age of 66 years.
This rate will be increased to £70.15 with effect from 5 July 1984.
A supplementary pension order book at the rate of £4.60 payable from 5 July 1984 was issued to the designated Post Office of payment on 18 April 1984.
622.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason the appropriate children's allowance is not being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick.
The person concerned submitted an application for continuation of children's allowance on 7 December 1983 in respect of her daughter who was sixteen years of age on 24 September 1983.
Children's allowance at the rate of £11.25 per month was awarded in respect of the child from October 1983. A payable order in respect of payment for October 1983 was issued on 12 January 1984 and an allowance book payable from November 1983 was issued on 19 January 1984.
The payable order was cashed on 18 January 1984 and the claimant has been asked to confirm that he received it. The claimant reported that he did not receive the allowance book and a replacement book was issued direct to his home address on 19 April 1984.
623.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a free electricity allowance, TV licence and free telephone rental will be provided for a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
An application for a free electricity allowance from the person concerned has been approved and the ESB has been instructed to apply the allowance to his electricity account from the February/March 1984 billing period onwards.
The person concerned also qualifies for a free television licence which he may obtain on application at his local post office.
There is no record in the Department of an application for a free telephone rental allowance from this person and the information available is insufficient to enable a decision to be given in the case. An application form was therefore issued to him on 25 April 1984. On receipt of the completed application form in the Department a decision will be given in the case and he will be notified of the outcome.
624.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Limerick who applied for unemployment assistance four weeks ago has not yet been visited by local officers.
It has not been possible to trace receipt of a claim to unemployment assistance or unemployment benefit which refers to the person named in the details supplied.
Further inquiries will be made in the matter if the Deputy will furnish further information to enable the person concerned to be identified.
625.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a person (details supplied) in County Galway in receipt of superannuation benefit is entitled to free electricity and a free telephone.
The person concerned is not at present entitled to a free electricity allowance or a free telephone rental allowance as she is not in receipt of a qualifying payment. However, her entitlement to a non-contributory old age pension, which is a qualifying payment, is presently under examination. If she is awarded this pension she should apply for a free electricity and free telephone rental allowance and an early decision will be given in her case.
626.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state in respect of each of the past five years the number of disability benefit appeals arising from the discontinuation of benefit; the number whose appeal against discontinuation succeeded; and the number whose appeal against discontinuation failed.
The number of appeals made by disability benefit claimants in the five year period 1979 to 1983 is set out in tabular form below.
|
Year |
No. of appeals received |
No. decided in favour of claimants |
No. of appeals which failed |
|
1979 |
815 |
192 |
623 |
|
1980 |
1,197 |
386 |
811 |
|
1981 |
906 |
330 |
576 |
|
1982 |
887 |
304 |
583 |
|
1983 |
1,358 |
527 |
831 |
|
Totals |
5,163 |
1,739 |
3,424 |
627.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a decision will be made on the appeal of a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow against the disallowance of occupational injuries benefit.
The person concerned claimed injury benefit from 25 June 1983 in respect of an incapacity resulting from an alleged occupational accident on 24 June 1983. Inquiries made from the employers failed to confirm any record of the alleged occupational accident. Investigations made by the social welfare officer revealed that the foreman concerned received no report of the alleged accident nor was confirmation available from the persons named by claimant as witnesses to the accident. On the evidence it was not accepted that the alleged accident had occurred and the claim to injury benefit was disallowed accordingly on 5 March 1984. The claimant's appeal against the decision has been referred to an appeals officer who has decided to hold an oral hearing of the case. The claimant will be advised of the arrangements for the hearing in due course.
628.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the grounds for the means test assessment of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin; and the reason he is in receipt of only £50 unemployment assistance as he has a wife and two children.
Following the completion of investigations by a social welfare officer the means of the person concerned were assessed at £17.75 weekly derived from the value of capital. He is accordingly in receipt of unemployment assistance at £50.65 weekly being the maximum rate of unemployment assistance payable to him £68.40 less £17.75.
He recently appealed against the amount of means assessed against him and in the light of contentions made by him in support of his appeal his case was referred to a social welfare officer for additional enquiries. When these are completed his case will be determined by an appeals officer and the rate of unemployment assistance payable to him will be reviewed in the light of his decision.
629.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a children's allowance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5; if he will accept that because of the special circumstances involved arrears back dated to 3 June 1983 are fully justified in this case; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The person concerned claimed children's allowance on 22 March 1984 in respect of two foster children who have been residing with her since June 1983. There is no trace of any earlier claim having been received in respect of these children. Children's allowance was awarded in respect of the children from April 1984 and allowance books totalling £22.50 per month have been issued to the claimant. This was the earliest date from which payment could be made having regard to the date on which the claim was submitted. However, in view of the circumstances outlined by the Deputy, the matter has been referred to a social welfare officer for investigation. When his report is received the case will be reviewed and the question of paying arrears will then be considered.
630.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reasons full pay-related benefits are not being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; the amount of benefits that will be paid; the total amount of arrears that will be paid; the date on which these will be paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Pay-related benefit is calculated on the basis of reckonable earnings during the relevant income tax year. The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 30 January 1984. The relevant income tax year in his case was the period 6 April 1982 to 5 April 1983. He was unemployed during that period and had therefore no reckonable earnings. Accordingly, the person concerned is not entitled to receive pay-related benefit. Flat-rate unemployment benefit at the rate of £103.90 weekly has been paid to him since the commencement of this claim.
631.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if unemployment benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The entitlement of the person concerned to unemployment benefit could not be determined until inquiries to establish that she fulfilled the condition of being available for work were completed. The investigations in the case were recently completed and her claim has been allowed at flat-rate unemployment benefit, £30.60 and pay-related benefit at £15.44 weekly. She is a postal applicant and an order for encashment representing all arrears due issued to her last week for encashment at her local post office. Further weekly payments at £46.04 will follow as they become due.
632.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if unemployment assistance payments will be increased for a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The person concerned was assessed with means at £14.80 weekly derived from the value of board and lodging in her parents home. She is accordingly in receipt of unemployment assistance at £13.20 weekly being the maximum weekly rate payable to her, £28.00 less £14.80. She appealed against the amount of means assessed against her by an appeals officer also assessed her means at £14.80 weekly and she was notified of this decision on 6 April 1984. Accordingly the weekly rate of unemployment assistance payable to her remains at £13.20 weekly.
633.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a free electricity allowance will be sanctioned for a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The free electricity allowance which applied to the electricity account of the person concerned was terminated from 1 September 1983 when it came to light that his daughter, who is not a person who comes within the excepted categories for the purposes of satisfying the living alone condition of the scheme, was residing with him. If his daughter ceases to reside with him it will be open to the person concerned to reapply for the allowance.
634.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an old age pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned has been awarded a retirement pension at the rate appropriate to his yearly average of 44 contributions with effect from 23 February 1984. A retirement pension book containing orders payable from 3 May 1984 has been issued to the designated post office for collection by him and he has been notified accordingly.
The arrears of retirement pension payable from 23 February 1984, less the amount of unemployment assistance paid to him after that date, will be issued direct to him by payable order.
635.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be restored to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The application of the person concerned for unemployment assistance was disallowed from 21 March 1984 on the grounds that he failed to disclose his means when his case was being reviewed by a social welfare officer. He recently appealed against the disallowance of his unemployment assistance claim and his case has been referred again to a social welfare officer to afford him a further opportunity of disclosing his means. When the inquiries are completed his case will be referred to an appeals officer for determination and his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of his decision.
636.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the date on which an application for unemployment assistance was made by a person (details supplied) in County Galway; the reason for the delay in processing the application; and when payment will commence.
The person concerned claimed unemployment assistance on 26 October 1983 but her entitlement to unemployment assistance could not be determined until protracted inquiries by the social welfare officer investigating her case, had been completed. The investigations were recently completed and she was assessed with nil means. She is accordingly entitled to unemployment assistance at the maximum weekly rate of £28.90 and all arrears due were paid on 18 April 1984. Weekly payments continue to be made as they become due.
637.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position regarding the appeal of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry against the decision to discontinue payment of his unemployment assistance in view of the fact that his wife is seriously ill, has a young family and is in serious financial difficulties; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed by an appeals officer on the grounds that his means derived from land exceeded the statutory limit. His case however was returned to the social welfare officer for additional inquiries in the light of further contentions by the applicant in relation to the assessment of his means. When these inquiries are completed the case will be referred to the appeals officer for reconsideration of his decision and his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed accordingly.