asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reasons payment of unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Galway has been discontinued; if he will now direct his Department to restore this assistance to this person immediately; and if he will make a statement on the situation.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
269.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed from 3 October, 1984 on the grounds that his means, derived from the profit from his holding and from capital, exceeded the statutory limit. He appealed against this decision and an appeals officer also assessed him with means exceeding the statutory limit and disallowed his unemployment assistance claim. He was notified accordingly. If he now contends that his circumstances have changed it is open to him to apply for a further investigation of his means. A form for this purpose may be obtained at his local office.
270.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reasons unemployment benefits have not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; if there are difficulties with these PRSI contributions to direct his Department to pay unemployment assistance to this person until such time as his benefits claim is completely investigated; the date that this payment will be made; the amount to be paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The person concerned does not satisfy the contribution conditions for entitlement to unemployment benefit. The non-payment of contributions is however being investigated and when the inquiries are completed his entitlement to unemployment benefit will be reviewed in the light of the outcome of the investigation. He was advised of his right to claim unemployment benefit claim pending the outcome of the inquiries about his unemployment benefit claim but he declined to do so. He is however in receipt of supplementary welfare allowance.
271.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if the refusal of a living alone allowance to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford will be reconsidered in view of the fact that the person is living alone.
It was decided on 11 December 1984 that the person concerned is not entitled to a living alone allowance from 23 November 1984 on the grounds that her daughter, son-in-law and their two children are living with her and accordingly the conditions for payment of this allowance are not satisfied. In the light of the information contained in the Deputy's representations, the matter is being referred to the social welfare officer for further investigation. When the inquiries have been completed the decision of 11 December 1984 will be reviewed and the person concerned will be notified of the outcome without delay.
272.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a person (details supplied) in County Wexford will be given an invalidity pension application form and considered favourably for the pension.
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.
273.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a widow's pension has not been awarded to a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow.
The person concerned whose claim was received on 6 December 1984 has been awarded a widow's contributory pension at the weekly rate of £66, with effect from 30 November 1984. This is the rate of pension payable to a widow under 66 years with two qualified children where the yearly average number of contributions (based on her husband's insurance record) is 34. For pension at the maximum rate (in her case £67.90) an average of not less than 48 contributions is required.
A pension book with orders payable from 25 January 1985 was issued to the designated post office on 17 January 1985 for collection by her and she was notified accordingly. The arrears of pension for the period from 30 November 1984 to 24 January 1985, less the amount of supplementary welfare allowance paid to her by the Eastern Health Board, will be sent direct to her shortly by payable order.
274.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason the full rate of unemployment assistance is not being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if he will reinvestigate her case with a view to having the full rate paid.
The person concerned is at present in receipt of unemployment assistance at £13.70 weekly the appropriate rate £29.95 less means £16.25. Her means were derived from the value of board and lodging in her father's home. She appealed against the amount of means assessed against her and an appeals officer also assessed her with a weekly means of £16.25, and she was informed accordingly. If there has been a change affecting her circumstances it is open to her to apply for a further investigation of her case. A form for this purpose may be obtained at her local office.
275.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will give details of the situation regarding a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny who applied for unemployment assistance in early November and appealed against the amount awarded to him.
The person concerned is in receipt of unemployment assistance at the weekly rate of £46.65 being the appropriate rate payable £69.65 less means £23 derived from self-employment. He appealed and the case was referred to an appeals officer for determination. The appeals officer required further information and it was necessary to return the papers again to the social welfare officer for additional inquiries. These inquiries are not yet completed and when they are the matter will again be returned to the appeals officer for decision. His rate of unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.
276.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will clarify the position in relation to the claim for disability benefit made by a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny.
The person concerned claimed injury benefit on 14 December in respect of an incapacity resulting from an occupational accident. There is no trace of receipt of medical certificates beyond the first certificate received and accordingly disability benefit could not be paid on an interim basis. Investigations confirmed the occupational accident on 11 December and that he had been absent from work due to the incapacity to 16 January 1985. Injury benefit was allowed and payment has now been made in respect of the period from 11 December to 16 January.
He had previously claimed disability benefit from 15 October 1984 and in this connection he was requested to attend for examination by a medical referee on 17 January 1985. However, this examination did not take place on account of poor weather conditions. In the light of the further information now to hand, it is no longer necessary to proceed with the examination.
277.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny has not received a deserted wife's allowance which she applied for three months ago.
The claim to a deserted wife's payment of the person concerned which was received on 5 November 1984, is at present under investigation by a local officer of the Department. The claimant has been interviewed by the officer but it will also be necessary, if possible, to interview her husband for his version of the circumstances which led to the marriage breakdown.
When inquiries are completed a decision will be given without delay and the claimant will be notified of the outcome. In the meantime she is in receipt of supplementary welfare allowance from the South Eastern Health Board.
278.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will urgently review the case of a person (details supplied) in County Longford with regard to non-payment of unemployment money.
The person concerned is a landholder and an applicant for unemployment benefit. He does not satisfy the contribution conditions of having 78 paid contribution in a three year period and his entitlement to unemployment benefit could not be determined until it was ascertained whether the income from his holding exceeded £2 daily. Inquiries were recently completed after which a deciding officer assessed him with an income from his holding in excess of £2 daily and disallowed his unemployment benefit claim. He appealed against the disallowance of his claim and arrangements are being made for an oral hearing of his case next week. His entitlement to unemployment benefit will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer. He is at present in receipt of unemployment assistance at £57.20 weekly pending the outcome of his appeal against the disallowance of his unemployment benefit claim.
279.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will review the case of a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath with regard to non-payment of invalidity benefit and pension.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 3 September 1984 and was paid to 10 September 1984 after which date he was certified fit to resume work. There is no record in the Department of a claim to disability benefit from him subsequent to that date.
It is a condition for receipt of invalidity pension that the claimant, apart from satisfying the contribution conditions, must be in continuous receipt of disability benefit for at least one year and be permanently incapable of work. The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit from 18 September 1984 and has been paid to date.
280.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will urgently review the case of a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath with regard to non-payment of unemployment benefit.
The unemployment benefit claim of the person concerned was disallowed from 17 September 1984 to 23 October 1984 on the grounds that he left his work voluntarily without just cause. Following a further review of his case his unemployment benefit claim was disallowed from 24 October 1984 on the grounds that he was not genuinely seeking work and accordingly he did not fulfil the condition for entitlement to unemployment benefit of being available for work.
He appealed against the disallowance of his unemployment benefit claim from 24 October 1984 and attended an oral hearing of his appeal on 21 December 1984. The appeals officer also decided that he was not available for work and disallowed his unemployment benefit claim. He has continued to sign at his local office and inquiries are being made to ascertain if he fulfils the condition for unemployment benefit in respect of the period following the disallowance of his claim by the appeals officer.
281.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will urgently review the case of a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath with regard to the non-payment of unemployment benefit.
The unemployment benefit claim of the person concerned was disallowed from 17 September 1984 to 23 October 1984 on the grounds that he left his employment voluntarily without just cause. Following a further review of his case his unemployment benefit claim was disallowed from 24 October 1984 on the grounds that he was not genuinely seeking work and accordingly he did not fulfil the condition for entitlement to unemployment benefit of being available for work.
He has appealed against the disallowance of his unemployment benefit claim from 24 October 1984 and arrangements are being made to hold an oral hearing of his appeal next week. His entitlement to unemployment benefit will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer. He is at present in receipt of supplementary welfare allowance pending the outcome of his appeal against the disallowance of his unemployment benefit claim.
282.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is aware that the Western Health Board has initiated legal proceedings against Galway County Council for payment of £2,151,512 supplementary welfare allowance; if he is aware that this demand is completely out of proportion to the contributions of local authorities in other health board areas; and if he will now agree to meet a deputation from Galway, Mayo and Roscom-mon County Councils to discuss the payment of the sum now being demanded.
The arrangements for financing the supplementary welfare allowance scheme are set out in the legislation governing the scheme. Local authority contributions are paid directly by the local authorities to the relevant health boards which administer the scheme. Health boards in many cases experience considerable difficulty in obtaining payments from local authorities in their areas and it is known that the Western Health Board intends to initiate legal proceedings to recover arrears of payments statutorily due to it from the local authorities in its area.
The amount of the local authority contribution to the financing of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme is small in terms of overall local authority expenditure but nevertheless the present system has given rise to dissatisfaction for some time. As previously announced however the financing arrangements for the scheme are under review and proposals have been put to the Government on this matter. Pending the outcome of the Government's consideration of the matter it is not considered that a meeting with the county councils concerned would be appropriate.