asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the irregular payments of unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and the reason he has not been paid since 9 June 1984.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
522.
The person concerned received continuous weekly payments of unemployment benefit until he exhausted his entitlement on 16 June 1984. He is entitled to unemployment assistance from 18 June 1984 at £48.85 weekly being the appropriate maximum rate in his case of £50.75 less means £1.90 derived from the letting value of his land. He is a postal applicant and was issued with the appropriate unemployment assistance declaration form last week but has not returned it to his local office as yet. His claim will be authorised and payment made on receipt of this form.
523.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if two old age pensioners (details supplied) in County Wexford will be awarded a free electricity allowance and free television licence.
The persons concerned have been in receipt of a free electricity allowance since April 1982 and the ESB has confirmed that the allowance is still applying to their electricity account. A person who qualifies for a free electricity allowance is also entitled to a free television licence which may be obtained on application at the local post office.
524.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford on a regular basis.
All disability benefit and pay-related benefit payable to 14 June 1984, the date of the latest medical certificate received, has been issued to the person concerned. Payment is normally made on receipt of medical evidence of incapacity in the Department but due to the claimant quoting an incorrect RSI number on a medical certificate dated 5 June 1984 there was a delay in issuing payment for the period 29 May to 4 June 1984: Payment for this period was issued on 11 June 1984.
525.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if, in the light of more recent evidence and information available regarding a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5, his Department will carry out a reassessment of means; if he will agree that the amounts of supplementary benefit paid to him over a four week period was at a rate which was in line with or less than his present rate of unemployment assistance; and when all arrears owing to him since 26th April, 1984 will be paid.
Arrangements have been made to review the means of the person concerned and his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be determined in the light of the report of the social welfare officer.
Inquiries regarding the amount of supplementary welfare allowance advanced to him for the period 26 April 1984 to 22 May 1984 have not yet been completed. The applicant will be advised as soon as the information is available and any arrears due will be paid. Weekly payments of £78.05 continue to be made as they fall due.
526.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment benefit and arrears will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned claimed unemployment assistance on 5 January 1984 following exhaustion of his entitlement to unemployment benefit. He applied for an increase in respect of his two children and a grandchild on his claim and inquiries had to be made to ascertain the residence of his grandchild for the purpose of determining entitlement to an increase in respect of the child dependants. These inquiries were recently completed and all arrears due were paid last week less the amount of supplementary welfare allowance which was paid to him by the health board pending a decision on his case.
Arrears of the dependant's portion of his unemployment assistance were paid to his wife at his request. Further weekly payments at the maximum rate of £29.40 for himself and £44.20 payable to his wife will continue to be made as they become due.
527.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 2 May 1984. Inquiries were necessary to ascertain the reason for termination of her employment. These investigations were recently completed and her unemployment benefit claim was allowed from the date of claim at the maximum flat rate applicable in her case of £34.80 weekly. All arrears due were paid last week less advances of supplementary welfare allowance which had been paid to her pending a decision on her entitlement to unemployment benefit. Further weekly payments of £34.80 will be made as they become due. The person concerned has been requested to furnish her form P. 45 and when this is received her entitlement to pay-related benefit will be determined.
258.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a non-contributory old age pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Meath.
It has been decided by the local pension committee that the person concerned is entitled to old age pension at the maximum rate of £38.60 with effect from 5 May 1984, date claimant reached 66 years. The appropriate pension book payable from 11 May 1984 was issued on 21 June 1984.
529.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Meath.
Entitlement to unemployment benefit is subject to the condition that an applicant is available for work and to fulfil this condition an applicant must be capable of, available for and genuinely seeking employment. The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 22 March 1984 and her claim was disallowed on the grounds that she was not available for work. She appealed against the disallowance and arrangements are being made to have her case determined by an appeals officer at the earliest opportunity. Her entitlement to unemployment benefit will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.
530.
(Limerick West) asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 1 June 1984 and has been paid at the single rate from 6 June 1984 (fourth day of incapacity) to 8 June 1984, the date of the latest medical certificate received. A claim form to enable him to claim an increase in benefit in respect of his dependants has been issued to him.
531.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will expedite payment of a widow's pension to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The contribution conditions for award of widow's contributory pension at the maximum rate are satisfied in the case of the person concerned but an award cannot be made in the absence of her marriage certificate. She has been requested to forward a copy of the certificate to the Department. When it is received an award of pension will be made in the case without delay.
532.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will expedite payment of a widow's pension to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned whose husband died on 21 February 1984 claimed a widow's non-contributory pension on 23 May 1984. Her late husband had been in receipt of old age non-contributory pension of £58 per week which included an increase in respect of his wife and payment of this pension was continued to her for six weeks after his death.
A social welfare officer has been requested to investigate and report on her circumstances and when his report is received a decision will be given in her case without delay and she will be notified of the outcome.
533.
Mr. Coughlan
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 23 February 1984. His entitlement to unemployment benefit could not be determined pending inquiries to establish that he satisfied all the statutory conditions for receipt of this benefit. These investigations were recently completed and his unemployment benefit claim was allowed at the maximum weekly flat rate of £34.80 with effect from date of claim. A payable order in respect of all arrears due issued to him on 20 June 1984 and further weekly payments will be made as they become due. His entitlement to pay-related benefit will be determined when inquiries being made at present are completed.
534.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in having unemployment assistance arrears paid to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford.
The person concerned is at present in receipt of unemployment assistance at £29.30 weekly being the appropriate maximum rate in his case of £87 less means £57.70 derived from the profit from his holding. He appealed against the amount of means assessed against him and following the completion of further inquiries by a social welfare officer his case has been referred to an appeals officer for determination. His entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.
535.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment assistance at the maximum rate has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford; and if all arrears due have been paid.
The person concerned is at present in receipt of unemployment assistance at £28 weekly being the appropriate maximum rate in his case. All arrears due were paid on 15 May 1984.
536.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
Following reinvestigation, the unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed from 26 October 1983 on the grounds that his means, derived from the profit from his holding, exceeded the maximum rate payable to him. He applied for a review of the means assessed against him and his case was referred to a social welfare officer for a report. He was not at home when the social welfare officer called at his house and arrangements have been made for the social welfare officer to call again this week. His entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the social welfare officer's report.
537.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal will be paid a deserted wife's allowance.
The person concerned has recently been interviewed by a local officer of the Department but it is also necessary to have her husband interviewed in order to obtain his version of the circumstances which led to the break-up of the marriage. Arrangements are being made for this interview and when the local officer's report is received a decision will be given and the claimant will be notified. Meanwhile she is in receipt of unemployment assistance from the Department.
538.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Meath.
Entitlements to unemployment benefit is subject to the condition that a person must have at least 26 contributions paid or credited in the governing contribution year.
According to the Department's records the person concerned had only 16 weeks of insurable employment during the contribution period 6 April 1982 to 5 April 1983 which governed his entitlement to payment of unemployment benefit from 21 May 1984. He stated that he was employed for the full year in question and inquiries are being made to ascertain whether further contributions at the appropriate class were paid on his behalf during that year. When these inquiries have been completed his claim for unemployment benefit will be determined in the light of the outcome of the inquiries.
539.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Meath.
The person concerned claimed unemployment assistance on 21 March 1984 but his entitlement to unemployment assistance could not be determined until inquiries to ascertain his means were completed. These investigations were recently finalised and he was assessed with nil means. Accordingly, he is entitled to payment at the maximum weekly rate appropriate in his case of £28 with effect from 21 March 1984. Payment will commence this week and any arrears due will be paid when inquiries concerning the amount of supplementary welfare allowance paid to him have been completed.
540.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is aware that a person (details supplied) in County Dublin applied for an old age pension in January 1984, and that she has no source of income presently; and if he will indicate when the old age pension will be paid.
It was decided by the local pension committee on 5 June 1984 that the person concerned is entitled to old age pension at the maximum weekly rate of £38.60 with effect from 6 February 1984. The appropriate pension book payable from 4 May 1984 issued on 21 June 1984 and a payable order covering arrears due in respect of the period 10 February 1984 to 27 April 1984 was issued on 25 June 1984.
541.
Mr. Coughlan
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when payment of a pay-related benefit will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
All pay-related benefit payable to the person concerned has now been issued.
542.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the cause of the long delay in paying disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 16 May 1984 and was initially paid at the single rate pending the return of a claim form to enable him to claim an increase for dependants. Following receipt of the claim form an adjustment cheque for the arrears of benefit payable in respect of his wife and two dependant children was issued on 20 June 1984. All disability benefit payable to him to 15 June 1984, the date of the latest medical certificate received, has been issued.
He is not entitled to pay-related benefit as regulations operative from 2 April 1984 provide that amounts payable by way of disability benefit and pay-related benefit may not exceed 75 per cent of a claimant's average reckonable weekly earnings in the relevant income tax year which in this case is the 1982-83 tax year. His rate of benefit, £74.85 a week, exceeds 75 per cent of his reckonable weekly earnings in that year.
543.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a refund of payment of wet time contributions by an employee of the Office of Public Works will be made as he has been making such payments by mistake since 1978.
An application for the return of weekly wet-time contributions stated to have been paid in error in respect of the person concerned was received from his employer on 25 May 1984. The period involved in the claim is 6 June 1982 being three years after the commencement of his employment to 31 December 1983. The application is one of a large number of similar applications in respect of employees of the employer concerned. These applications are being examined at present and it is hoped that this examination will be completed shortly. Any sum due to the person concerned will then be paid.
544.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason pay-related benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 12 May 1984 and has been paid to 15 June 1984, the date of the latest medical certificate received. He is not entitled to pay-related benefit as regulations operative from 2 April 1984 provide that amounts payable by way of disability benefit and pay-related benefit may not exceed 75 per cent of a claimant's average reckonable weekly earnings in the relevant income tax year, which in this case is the 1982-83 tax year. His rate of benefit, £74.85 a week, exceeds 75 per cent of his reckonable weekly earnings in that year.
545.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a person (details supplied) in County Wexford will be awarded payments of occupational injuries benefit in view of the fact he has an obvious injury and disability and is unable to work.
The person concerned was paid injury benefit from 10 March 1983 the date of his accident at work to 3 June when he was considered to be capable of work following an examination by a medical referee. He claimed injury benefit again from 11 July 1983 and was examined by a different medical referee who also expressed the opinion that he was capable of work. The later claim to injury benefit was disallowed on these grounds.
The claimant's appeal against the decision has been allowed following an oral hearing and consideration of further submissions. As a result of this decision arrears of injury benefit were awarded for the period from 11 July 1983 to 7 September, the end of the injury benefit period. In addition arrears of disability benefit were awarded for the period from 8 September 1983 to 23 June 1984 with the exception of the periods 7 November 1983 to 5 December 1983 and 4 January 1984 to 9 April 1984 in respect of which disability benefit had already been paid. The sums concerned however were withheld and refunded to the South-Eastern Health Board on account of supplementary welfare allowance advanced.
Payment of further disability benefit will be made as medical evidence of continuing incapacity is received. A sum of £5 per week will be deducted until such time as the balance of the refund due to the health board £473.50 has been made. The person concerned has also claimed disablement benefit in respect of the accident. Arrangements have been made for a medical examination on 12 July to assess the extent of his disablement. A decision on the claim will be made as soon as possible.
546.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment assistance was reduced in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter setting out the present position.
The means of the person concerned were increased from £0.10 to £9.60 weekly with effect from 2 May 1984. He is accordingly in receipt of unemployment assistance since that date at £48.70 weekly, being the appropriate maximum rate in his case of £58.30 less means £9.60 derived from self-employment. It is open to him to appeal against the amount of means assessed against him and to have his case determined by an appeals officer. A form for this purpose may be obtained at his local office.
547.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason his usual unemployment assistance for the two weeks from 11 June 1984 to 22 June 1984 was not paid to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 1.
The person concerned notified the employment exchange at which he signs that he would be away from 8 June 1984. No further details were furnished by him at the time of his attendance on 5 June 1984 and on his return on 18 June 1984 he did not indicate that he had been engaged on voluntary work.
If the voluntary organisation concerned makes application on his behalf to the employment exchange on the special form provided for this purpose the entitlement to unemployment assistance of the person concerned in respect of the period in question will be reviewed. The appropriate form may be obtained at any local office of the Department.
548.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit from 24 January 1984 to 1 June 1984 is not being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Carlow; and the reason PRSI payments have not been made from 14 February 1981 to February 1983.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 24 January 1984 to 23 May 1984 but was not entitled to payment as according to the records of the Department she had less than the required minimum of 26 contributions for 1982-83 the year on which her entitlement to benefit was based.
It has since been ascertained that she had sufficient contributions paid for 1982-83 to qualify her for payment and all disability benefit outstanding on her claim has been issued. She was not entitled to pay-related benefit as she had insufficient earnings in the relevant tax year. As regards the earlier period from February 1981 to February 1983, full contributions have been collected in respect of this period.
549.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when arrears of unmarried mother's allowance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny.
A payable order for arrears of social assistance allowance for the period from 8 March 1984 to 23 May 1984 less the amount of supplementary welfare allowance paid to her by the South-Eastern Health Board during that time has now been sent to the person concerned.
550.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the value in 1984 monetary terms taking into account inflation, of the £5 maximum rent allowance without Ministerial consent, set up under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, and introduced in 1977.
The maximum amount of the weekly addition for rent which may be paid under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme is the amount by which the weekly rent exceeds £1.50. The figure of £5 referred to is the maximum amount which may be paid without the consent of the Minister. Sanction for the payment of amounts exceeding £5 is, however, readily given. Neither the £1.50 minimum figure nor the £5 maximum allowance have been increased since 1977. It is understood that the present value of the sum of £5 in 1977 is approximately £2.