asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny will receive payment for unemployment assistance as he has been signing for eight weeks.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
628.
The person concerned exhausted 390 days unemployment benefit on 3 October 1984 and applied for unemployment assistance from 4 October 1984. He has been assessed with "nil means" and is accordingly entitled to unemployment assistance at £31.75 weekly the maximum rate payable to him. He was however in receipt of supplementary welfare allowance pending the outcome of his unemployment assistance claim, and the amount which he received was recouped to his local health board from arrears of unemployment assistance due to him. The balance of arrears due was paid to him on 29 November 1984 and weekly payments of £31.75 will continue to be made as they become due.
629.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to pay unemployment benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
Entitlement to unemployment benefit is subject to the condition that an applicant fulfils the condition of being available for work and to be available for work an applicant must be capable of, available for and genuinely seeking work.
Following the completion of inquiries in the unemployment benefit claim of the person concerned a deciding officer recently disallowed her claim on the grounds that she has made no specific efforts to find work and accordingly she was not available for work. She is a postal applicant and she will be written to and advised of the decision in her case.
630.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position regarding the award of pension to a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath.
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 was forwarded to her on 26 November 1984. On its return, duly completed, the claim will be dealt with without delay.
631.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position regarding the award of invalidity pension to a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath who is at present in receipt of disability allowance.
Invalidity pension is payable in place of disability benefit to insured persons who satisfy the contribution conditions and who are permanently incapable of work. The person concerned has been in receipt of disability benefit since 4 November 1983 and payment is being made at regular weekly intervals. Arrangements are being made to have her examined by a medical referee on 19 December 1984. Her entitlement to invalidity pension will be reviewed in the light of the report of this examination.
632.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Longford was refused unemployment benefit as she is fully fit and available for work; if these factors will be taken into account when the appeal case is heard; and when the appeal will be heard.
Availability for work is a condition of entitlement to unemployment benefit and to fulfil this condition the claimant must be capable of, available for and genuinely seeking work.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 10 October 1984 and her claim was disallowed on the grounds that she was not available for work. She appealed against the disallowance and her case has been referred to an appeals officer for determination. An oral hearing of her appeal has been arranged to take place next week. Her entitlement to unemployment benefit will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.