asked the Minister for Social Welfare if the correct rate of unemployment benefit and pay-related benefit was being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway from June 1984, to the present time; and the reason for the reduction in payment from January 1985.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
451.
The weekly rate of unemployment benefit payable to an applicant after he receives 156 days of benefit is reduced if he does not satisfy a contribution condition of having 280 contributions paid in a seven year period.
The person concerned was paid at the appropriate weekly flat-rate unemployment benefit of £57.35 from 15 June 1984 increased to £61.40 from 5 July 1984 in accordance with 1984 budget increases until 17 December 1984 when he exhausted 156 days of benefit. He did not satisfy the contribution condition of having 280 contributions in a seven year period and accordingly his weekly flat rate unemployment benefit was reduced to £53.20.
In addition to flat rate unemployment benefit he was paid pay-related benefit at £30.64 until 17 December 1984. He entered the second phase of pay-related benefit and his rate was reduced to £24.52 weekly from 18 December 1984.
The person concerned accordingly was paid the appropriate rates of flat rate unemployment benefit and pay-related benefit to which he was entitled. Combined payments at £77.72 weekly representing flat rate unemployment benefit £53.20 and pay-related benefit £24.52 continue to be made to him as they become due.
452.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an old age pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Carlow.
The person concerned claimed an old age contributory pension on 17 December 1984. She has been awarded the pension at the maximum personal rate with effect from 4 January 1985 i.e. the Friday following her 66th birthday.
Her husband is at present in receipt of an old age contributory pension at a rate which includes an adult dependant's allowance in respect of her. He has been asked to return his pension book to the Department and when this is done a book at the personal rate will be issued to the designated post office for collection by her. A replacement book, also at the personal rate, will be issued to her husband.
The arrears of old age contributory pension, less the amount of the adult dependant's allowance paid to her husband in respect of her from 4 January 1985, will be issued to her as quickly as possible thereafter.
453.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when arrears of an unmarried mother's allowance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Louth.
A payable order for the arrears in question, less the amount of supplementary welfare allowance paid to her by the North Eastern Health Board, has now been sent to the person concerned.
454.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Clare.
The person concerned did not satisfy the contribution conditions for unemployment benefit from 19 November 1984 to 5 January 1985. However following completion of inquiries he has been allowed unemployment assistance at the weekly rate of £29.95 during the period and arrangements have been made to pay all arrears of unemployment assistance due this week.
A new benefit year commenced on 7 January 1985 and he satisfies the contribution condition for payment of unemployment benefit at £37.25 weekly from that date. Arrears of unemployment benefit were paid on 7 February 1985 and further weekly payments are being made as these become due.
455.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan will receive payment of unemployment benefit.
An applicant for unemployment benefit who is a landholder but does not satisfy the contribution condition of having 78 contributions paid in a three year period is not entitled to unemployment benefit if the income from his holding exceeds £2 daily.
The person concerned is a landholder who claimed unemployment benefit on 7 December 1984. He does not satisfy the condition of having 78 contributions paid in a three year period and his case has been referred to a social welfare officer for investigation of the income from his holding. Inquiries are still being made in the matter. His entitlement to unemployment benefit will be reviewed in the light of the outcome of the investigation. He has ceased to prove unemployment since 18 February 1985.
456.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will expedite a decision in respect of the application for unemployment benefit made by a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
The person concerned does not satisfy the contribution conditions for entitlement to unemployment benefit. He claimed unemployment assistance but his claim was disallowed on the grounds that the weekly means assessed against him £32.45 exceeded the rate appropriate to him as a single person. His means are derived from the profit from his holding. He was informed of the decision in his case on 11 January 1985.
457.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will make a statement regarding the discontinuance of unemployment assistance in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and when the appeal in this case will be dealt with.
The person concerned was assessed with means at £50 weekly derived from self-employment as a self-employmed roofer. He was in receipt of unemployment assistance at £49.80 weekly being the appropriate rate £99.80 less £50 means and payment was made to him up to 5 February 1985. He appealed against the amount of means assessed against him and arising from contentions made by him in support of his appeal his case was referred to a social welfare officer for further inquiries. During the course of the reinvestigation the applicant denied that he was engaged in any form of self-employment. The social welfare officer completed his inquiries and furnished a report on the case, following which the appeals officer decided the case summarily and disallowed the applicant's unemployment assistance claim with effect from 2 November 1984 on the grounds that he failed to establish that his means did not exceed the statutory limit. The applicant was informed of the decision of the appeals officer on 4 February 1985.
458.
(Limerick West) asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a family income supplement will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick.
The person concerned was awarded a family income supplement at the weekly rate of £2.25 from 6 September 1984. The order book was issued to the designated post office on 6 February 1985 and the claimant was notified accordingly on 8 February.
459.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit payable to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9 was stopped for six weeks from 8 January 1985, to 18 February 1985; the reason his explanation for failing to attend an examination on 11 December 1984, was not accepted despite the fact that the explanation had been vouched for by a local health board doctor; and if he will ensure that benefit is restored immediately.
Payment of disability benefit to the person concerned was disallowed for the statutory period of six weeks from 8 January 1985 as he failed to attend for examination by a medical referee of the Department on 11 December 1984. His explanation for failure to attend for examination has been accepted and payment of benefit was restored on 19 February 1985. All disability benefit payable to 28 January 1985, the date of the latest medical certificate received, has now been issued to the person concerned.
460.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reasons unemployment assistance has been terminated in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Galway; if he is aware of the seriousness of this decision; if he will now direct his Department to treat this application as a special case; and if he will make a statement on the entire situation.
The person concerned was assessed with means of £4,000 per annum derived from the gross income of his holding £6,600 per annum less £2,600 per annum being the amount of expenses incurred by him in earning that income. His means accordingly exceed the statutory limit applicable to him, £2,935.40 per annum, and his unemployment assistance claim was disallowed. He appealed against the amount of means assessed against him and an appeals officer also assessed him with means in excess of the statutory limit and disallowed his unemployment assistance claim. He was informed accordingly on 16 January 1985. If the person concerned considers that his circumstances have changed since his means were assessed by an appeals officer on 14 January 1985 it is open to him to apply to have his case investigated. A form for this purpose may be obtained from his local office.
461.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will have eligibility for a living alone allowance investigated in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath.
A weekly allowance is payable to invalidity pensioners aged 66 years and over who live alone. The person concerned has not attained the age of 66 years and he is not therefore qualified for the receipt of this allowance.
462.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reasons unemployment benefits have not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway despite the fact that he was made redundant as and from 3 November 1984, and after failing to get work applied for unemployment benefits on 20 November 1984; if he will now direct his Department to ensure that these benefits are paid immediately; the date of payment and the amount both weekly and arrears, that will be paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Entitlement to unemployment benefit is subject to the condition that a claimant must be available for and genuinely seeking work. The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit from 20 November 1984 but following the completion of inquiries her claim was disallowed on the grounds that she was not making genuine efforts to find work and accordingly she was not available for employment. She appealed against the disallowance and her case has been referred to an appeals officer for consideration. Her entitlement to unemployment benefit will be determined in the light of the appeals officer's decision.
463.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a person (details supplied) in County Wexford is entitled to pay-related benefit in addition to his disability benefit, and if not, the reason for this decision.
The person concerned has been paid disability benefit at the maximum appropriate rate of £96.55 a week from 8 November 1984, fourth day of incapacity, to 11 February 1985, the date of the latest medical certificate received. He is not entitled to pay-related benefit as the amount of disability benefit payable exceeds 75 per cent of his average reckonable weekly earnings in the 1982-83 tax year which governs his entitlement to pay-related benefit.
464.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment benefit payments will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The entitlement of the person concerned to unemployment benefit could not be determined until inquiries established that she fulfilled the condition of being unemployed in accordance with the provision of the Social Welfare Acts. Following the completion of inquiries, her claim was allowed at £37.25 weekly and arrangements have been made to pay all arrears to her this week. Further payments will be made as weekly payments become due.
465.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
Availability for work is a condition of entitlement to unemployment assistance and to fulfil this condition an applicant must be capable of, available for and genuinely seeking work.
The person concerned claimed unemployment assistance on 22 August 1984 and her claim was disallowed on the ground that she was not available for or genuinely seeking work. She has appealed against the disallowance and arrangements are being made to have her case determined by an appeals officer. Her entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.
466.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed from 7 March 1984 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 did not appeal against that decision. He recently requested that his means be reviewed and his case has been referred to a social welfare officer to investigate his means. When these inquiries are completed his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be determined in the light of the social welfare officer's report.
467.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit payments will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 1 January 1985. He was not entitled to benefit at the commencement of his claim as according to the records of the Department he had less than the required minimum of 26 contributions paid since entry into insurable employment. He subsequently submitted details of his employment record confirming that he has sufficient contributions paid to qualify for payment of benefit.
All benefit payable to 12 February 1985 the date of the latest medical certificate received has now been issued to the person concerned.
468.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in awarding social assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if he will ensure that the correct amount is paid to him as soon as possible together with any arrears due.
The person concerned is at present in receipt of £9.20 weekly the appropriate rate £29.95 less means £20.75. His means are derived from the value of board and lodging in his parents' home. He appealed against the amount of means assessed against him and an appeals officer also assessed his means at £20.75 weekly. He is accordingly being paid unemployment assistance at the applicable rate and there are no arrears of unemployment assistance due to him.
469.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will review the request for dental benefits of a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath.
In order to qualify for dental benefit, claimants must satisfy certain statutory contribution conditions one of which requires persons over 21 years of age to have not less than 26 reckonable contributions paid or credited in the governing contribution year. The governing contribution year for claims made during 1984 was the 1982-83 contribution year.
The person concerned claimed dental benefit on 30 October 1984. According to the records of the Department the only contributions paid or credited on his behalf in the 1982-83 governing contribution year were in respect of an occupational pension from the Department of Defence and these are not reckonable for dental benefit purposes. His claim to dental benefit could not, therefore, be approved. Both the claimant and his dentist were notified of the position on 13 December 1984.