asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cork has been refused a medical card by the Southern Health Board.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
555.
A medical card with a review date in 1983 was issued in this case by the Southern Health Board in November 1980. On review it was discovered that the person concerned was in receipt of an additional pension which showed his income to be considerably in excess of the guidelines laid down for determining eligibility for a medical card and the card was accordingly withdrawn.
556.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance payments will be restored to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed on the grounds that his means derived from the profit from his land exceeded the maximum rate payable to him. He recently appealed against the amount of means assessed against him and arrangements are being made to have his case referred to an appeals officer. His entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.
557.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in the payment of arrears of social welfare benefits to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
Arrears of invalidity pension were issued on 1 June 1984.
558.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The person concerned claimed unemployment assistance on 11 May 1984 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 accordingly. In the meantime he is in receipt of supplementary welfare allowance pending the outcome of his unemployment assistance claim.
559.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will give a breakdown as to how £57.90 means were assessed against a person (details supplied) in County Galway and if he will outline (a) the amount of income, (b) source of income and (c) cost allowed in respect of the unemployment assistance claim.
The reinvestigation of the unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned revealed that his income derived from creamery receipts and the sale of stock amounted to £4,400 per annum. The amount of expenses incurred by him in earning his income amounted to £1,400 per annum. In addition he had an amount of capital and the net yearly value of his capital was calculated at £10 per annum. Accordingly the net income on which his means were assessed at £57.90 weekly was £3,010 per annum.
560.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a contributory old age pension at the maximum rate has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny since 6 April 1984.
A replacement contributory old age pension book, covering the period up to 30 March 1984, was issued to the person concerned on 15 March following receipt of a notification that his pension book had been destroyed in a fire at his home. The Department was only recently informed that he had already collected his new book for the period commencing 6 April 1984 from the post office prior to the fire and that it had also been destroyed in the fire. A replacement book containing orders payable from 1 June 1984 has been issued to the designated post office for collection by him and he has been notified accordingly.
Pension in respect of the period from 6 April to 31 May 1984 will be sent direct to him, by payable order within the next few days.
561.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason payment of an old age pension has been discontinued to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny since March 1984 when her old pension book finished.
The April 1984 old age pension book for the pensioner was issued in error to the post office used by her while she was resident in Dublin. When notification was received at the end of April that her pension book had not been received the book was recalled from the Dublin post office and sent to the pensioner in County Kilkenny. However, the pensioner had changed her address again and it was not until the end of May, when the new address was notified, that the matter was put right and she was able to cash orders from her new book. The pension book is now with the pensioner and any inconvenience caused to the pensioner is regretted.
Her claim for an increase in pension has been partially investigated. When the inquiries have been completed the matter will be decided upon and she will be notified of the outcome in due course.
562.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway as he has been signing the unemployment register for several weeks.
The entitlement of the person concerned to unemployment benefit during the period 4 April 1984 to 9 May 1984 cannot be determined until inquiries to ascertain the reason why he left his employment have been completed. His unemployment benefit claim was, however, allowed from 10 May 1984 at the maximum weekly rate payable to him £34.80 and all arrears due were paid last week. Further weekly payments will be made as they become due.
563.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment assistance being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway has been cancelled; if he will give details of the means assessed against him; and if he will have an appeal form sent to him in order that he may make an appeal against the decision.
Following reinvestigation of his means the unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed from 25 May 1984 as he failed to fully disclose all aspects of his means. He failed to supply full information regarding the sale of sites. He has recently been issued with an appeal form. When the completed form is received the case will be referred to an appeals officer for determination. His entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the appeals officer's decision.
564.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Wexford is receiving only £3.10 unemployment assistance per week and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The person concerned was assessed with means of £24.90 weekly derived from capital and from the value of board and lodging on his parents holding. He was accordingly entitled to unemployment assistance at the weekly rate of £3.10 being the maximum rate payable £28 less £24.90 means. He appealed against the assessment of his means and the appeals officer also determined his means at £24.90.
It would however be open to him to apply for a reinvestigation of his means in the light of a change in the circumstances affecting the income of the household in which he resides. An application form for this purpose may be obtained at his local office.
565.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit was not paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford for the period 19 April 1983 to 31 May 1983 and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 19 April 1983 to 1 June 1983 but was not qualified for payment as he had not the required minimum of 26 qualifying contributions paid or credited in 1981-82, the contribution year governing his claim. He was requested on 1 June 1983 to forward details of his insurable employment in 1981-82 but he failed to do so.
566.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Wexford is receiving only 65 pence per week unemployment assistance.
The person concerned was assessed with means at £27.35 weekly derived from the value of board and lodging in his parent's home. His rate of unemployment assistance is 65p weekly being the maximum weekly rate of unemployment assistance payable to him £28 less £27.35. He recently appealed against the amount of means assessed against him and arrangements are being made to have his case determined by an appeals officer. The rate of unemployment assistance payable to him will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.
The rate of unemployment assistance payable to an applicant is increased for a qualified child in accordance with the provisions of the Social Welfare Acts. However, on attaining the age of 18 years the child is no longer regarded as a dependant for unemployment assistance purposes. Accordingly, where a child on attaining the age of 18 years claims unemployment assistance in his own right the rate of unemployment assistance payable to him is determined by the amount of means assessed against him and the amount of an increase previously paid to his parent in respect of him as qualified child has no bearing on the matter.
567.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit is not being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; if she is entitled to disability benefit; and if she is entitled to maternity benefit.
The regulations provide that a person who fails to give notice of incapacity or to submit medical evidence within seven days of the commencement of incapacity is disqualified from receiving disability benefit in respect of any period more than seven days before the date on which such notice or medical evidence is received unless there is good cause for the delay.
The person concerned submitted a claim for disability benefit on 22 March 1984 in respect of an incapacity which commenced on 30 December 1983. A satisfactory explanation for failure to submit the claim in time was not received.
Payment was made from 15 March 1984 seven days before the date of receipt of notice of her incapacity to 25 May 1984 the date of the latest medical certificate received. She is qualified for maternity benefit and a claim form has been issued to her. On return of the form duly completed the matter will received immediate attention.
568.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cork was disallowed disability benefit from 9 April 1984 when he was to undergo an operation on 19 April 1984; and if he will allow him compensation for the weeks that he is not being paid.
Payment of disability benefit to the person concerned was disallowed from 10 April 1984 following an examination by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that he was capable of work.
He appealed against the disallowance and in connection with his appeal arrangements were made to have him examined by a different medical referee on 13 June 1984. His entitlement to further payment of disability benefit will be reviewed in the light of the medical referee's report following this examination. There is no trace in the records of the Department of the claimant being hospitalised in April 1984.
569.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a free electricity allowance will be granted to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick.
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 her electricity account from the April-May 1984 billing period onwards.
570.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the position regarding the application for a widow's non-contributory pension made some time ago by a person (details supplied) in County Offaly.
In the course of a review of her circumstances in August 1983 the person concerned failed to disclose certain details about her means to the social welfare officer. The widow's non-contributory pension which had been in payment to her was then terminated.
A further attempt was made to investigate her circumstances in February 1984. However, the social welfare officer reported that she had again failed to disclose her full means.
On receipt of a recent letter from the claimant the officer was again requested to investigate her circumstances. When his report is received the case will be reviewed and she will be notified of the outcome.
571.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the immediate payment of unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned claimed unemployment assistance on 30 April 1984 and his case was referred to a social welfare officer for investigation. Following the completion of inquiries his means were assessed as nil and he is entitled to unemployment assistance at the maximum rate payable to him £58.30 weekly. All arrears due were paid to him last week and further weekly payments will be made as they become due.
572.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit is no longer being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and when payments will be resumed.
Payment of disability benefit to the person concerned was disallowed from 15 March 1984 following an examination by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that she was capable of work.
She appealed against this decision and was re-examined on 17 May 1984 by a different medical referee who also considered her to be capable of work.
Her case was referred to an appeals officer for determination on 31 May 1984. She will be informed of the result as soon as the appeals officer gives his decision.
573.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when occupational injury benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned claimed injury benefit from 15 February 1984 in respect of an incapacity which he attributed to an accident at work on that date. Pending the completion of investigations arising from the accident his entitlement to disability benefit on an interim basis was examined. He failed however to satisfy the qualifying contribution conditions for disability benefit in the absence of having at least twenty six contributions in the governing contribution year ended 5 April 1983. Investigations are being made regarding the insurability of the employment at the time of the occupational accident. A decision on the claim to injury benefit will be made as soon as possible.
574.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason injury benefit was withdrawn from a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned claimed injury benefit from 14 January 1984 in respect of a recurrence of an incapacity arising from an injury at work on 16 September 1983. He was paid injury benefit to 15 March 1984 the expiry date of the 26-week statutory period for payment of this benefit. His claim from 16 March 1984 was treated as a disability benefit claim. All disability benefit and pay-related benefit payable to 25 May 1984 the date of the latest medical certificate received has been issued.
575.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will expedite payment of unemployment benefit and disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
According to the Department's records no contributions were paid in respect of the person concerned during the contribution periods 6 April 1981 to 5 April 1982 and 6 April 1982 to 5 April 1983. Accordingly, she failed to satisfy the contribution condition for entitlement to unemployment benefit on her claim of 28 June 1983 or disability benefit on her claim of 7 March 1984 onwards.
Inquiries are being made to establish if her employment during the period 6 April 1981 to 5 April 1983 was insurable at a class of contribution which provides cover against unemployment benefit and disability benefit. Her entitlement to unemployment benefit and disability benefit will be reviewed in the light of the outcome of the inquiries.
576.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will restore payment of unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed on the grounds that by failing to furnish details of his means he failed to show that his means did not exceed the statutory limit.
He has appealed against this decision and arrangements are being made to have his case submitted to an appeals officer. His entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.