asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
516.
Entitlement to unemployment assistance is subject to the condition that a person is available for work and to fulfil this condition an applicant must be capable of, available for and genuinely seeking work.
The person concerned was in receipt of unemployment assistance from October 1974. Her application was disallowed from 13 June 1984 on the ground that she was not genuinely seeking work. She appealed this decision and an appeal hearing was arranged for 11 July 1984. She did not attend the appeal and the appeals officer disallowed the appeal in her absence. She continued to sign as unemployed and following the completion of further investigations her claim was again disallowed on the grounds that she was not available for work and she was notified accordingly.
517.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will expedite payment of pay-related benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
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 rebate may not exceed 85 per cent of the net average weekly earnings of an applicant.
The 85 per cent limit applicable to the person concerned was £54.92 and as the flat-rate unemployment benefit payable since 1 May 1984 was £65.60 per week increased to £70.25 per week from 5 July 1984, pay-related benefit was not payable in his case. It is understood that he resumed work on 17 October 1984.
518.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will make a statement on the situation with regard to an application for unemployment assistance by a person (details supplied) in County Limerick and the means which have been assessed against this person.
The person concerned exhausted his entitlement to unemployment benefit on 26 September 1984 and applied for unemployment assistance on 27 September 1984. His claim to unemployment assistance 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 appealed against this decision on 10 October 1984 and in view of contentions made by him in support of his appeal he will be given another opportunity of cooperating with the social welfare officer investigating his claim. When the inquiries are completed his case will be submitted to an appeals officer and his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be determined in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.
519.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a decision will be made and payment of unemployment assistance issued to a person (details supplied) in County Carlow.
The person concerned claimed unemployment assistance on 4 September 1984 and his claim was referred to a social welfare officer for inquiries into his means. These inquiries were completed recently and he has been assessed with nil means. He is accordingly entitled to £29.95 weekly, the appropriate rate of unemployment assistance payable to him.
All arrears due to him will be paid next week and weekly payments of £29.95 weekly will continue as they become due.
520.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an old age pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Carlow.
It was decided on 10 September 1984 that the person concerned is not entitled to an old age pension on the grounds that his means, consisting of half the weekly value of capital, his farm retirement pension and his wife's earnings exceed the statutory limit for entitlement to pension.
521.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Carlow.
The person concerned has been in continuous, receipt of disability benefit since December 1982 and the records of the Department indicate that payments have been made to her up to 22 October 1984, the date of the latest medical certificate received. If she has not received any of these payments, she should immediately contact the Department.
522.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Carlow.
Payment of disability benefit to the person concerned was disallowed from 3 August 1984, following examination by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that he was capable of work. He appealed against the disallowance and was examined on 26 September 1984 by a different medical referee who also considered him to be capable of work.
An appeal form has been issued to the claimant and he has been advised to return the form setting out the grounds for his appeal if he wishes his case to be referred to an appeals officer for determination. A medical certificate indicating that he was fit to resume work on 5 October 1984 was received in the Department on 15 October 1984.
523.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Carlow.
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 ceased to sign at his local office.
524.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Carlow.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 10 September 1984, and he has been paid from 13 September 1984, fourth day of incapacity, to 22 October 1984, the date of the latest medical certificate received. He is not entitled to pay-related benefit as the amount of disability benefit payable in his case exceeds 75 per cent of his average reckonable weekly earnings in the 1982-1983 tax year which governs his claim.
525.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Carlow.
Where a person has less than 156 contributions paid since entry into insurable employment entitlement to disability benefit is limited to 52 weeks. The person concerned was paid disability benefit from 9 June 1980 to 10 June 1981 when her 52 week entitlement became exhausted. Before she can requalify for disability benefit it will be necessary for her to have at least a further 13 weeks of insurable employment for which the appropriate contributions are paid. She continued to submit medical certificates of incapacity on which she was awarded credited contributions. Following her examination on 28 August 1984 by a medical referee who considered her to be capable of work the award of further credits was discontinued. She was advised of the decision and of her right of appeal but no appeal was received.
526.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Carlow.
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 1982 to 5 April 1983 was insurable in a contribution class which provides cover against unemployment.
The investigations were recently completed and his claim was allowed at the maximum weekly rate payable to a single man of £34.80 from 24 May 1984 and £37.25 from 5 July 1984. All arrears of unemployment benefit due from the commencement of his claim to 15 September 1984 after which he ceased to sign as unemployed were paid last week.
Payment of disability benefit to the person concerned was disallowed from 18 February 1984 following examination by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that she was capable of work. She appealed against the disallowance and was examined on 31 May 1984 by a different medical referee who considered her to be capable of work. She was also examined by a medical referee on 12 July 1984 for disablement assessment purposes and was considered to be capable of work. Her case has been referred to an appeals officer who proposes to hold an oral hearing. She will be notified of the time and place fixed for the hearing as soon as the final arrangements have been made.
528.
Mr. Coughlan
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a decision regarding an application for a retirement pension will be given to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
One of the qualifying conditions for receipt of a retirement pension under the Social Welfare Acts requires a person to have a yearly average of at least 24 reckonable contributions over the period from the beginning of the 1953 contribution year or from his year of entry into insurance under the Acts, whichever is the later, to the end of the last complete contribution year before reaching pension age. The person concerned does not satisfy this condition as the Department's records show that he had a total of 559 Irish contributions in this period, equal to a yearly average of only 18. Neither will he qualify for old age contributory pension at age 66; a yearly average of at least 20 is required for this latter pension.
The person concerned also has a total of 173 British contributions since 1953. Under EC Regulations where a person has been employed in another member state his insurance record in that state may be combined with his Irish record to enable him to qualify for a pro rata retirement pension calculated on the basis of his number of Irish contributions in proportion to the combined total. In accordance with these Regulations he has been awarded a pro rata retirement pension with effect from 28 March 1984 on the basis of his 559 Irish contributions in proportion to the combined total of 732. The weekly rate payable to him is £32.35 from 28 March 1984, increased to £34.60 from 5 July 1984. A pension book containing orders payable at the latter rate from 1 November 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 since 28 March 1984, less the amount of unemployment assistance paid to him since that date, will be issued to him as soon as possible.
Details of his Irish insurance record have been sent to the British Department of Health and Social Security for their consideration of his entitlement to a British retirement pension. That Department will reply directly to him.
529.
Mr. Coughlan
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when payment of arrears of unemployment assistance will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
The person concerned signed at her local office for the period 7 May 1984 to 21 May 1984. Her case was referred to the social welfare officer for investigations but he was unable to contact her as she had returned to work. A further effort will be made by the social welfare officer to interview her after which her means will be assessed and her entitlement to unemployment assistance during the period will be determined.