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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 21 Mar 1985

Vol. 357 No. 2

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.

531.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position with regard to the payment of a prescribed relative allowance to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.

It has been decided that the mother of the person concerned who is an old age pensioner is entitled to a prescribed relative allowance at the weekly rate of £23.10 from 9 November 1984 in respect of the care and attention being provided by her son.

The appropriate pension book payable from 4 January 1985 issued on 25 January 1985 and a payable order in respect of arrears due for the period 9 November 1984 to 3 January 1985 issued separately.

532.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position with regard to an appeal by a person (details supplied) in County Galway against the discontinuation of his unemployment assistance.

The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed on the grounds that his means, derived from the notional value of his holding and from capital amounted to £31.55 weekly exceeded the maximum weekly rate payable to him. Payment ceased from 12 October 1982. He did not appeal against the assessment of his means and has not been in touch with his local office since 12 October 1982. It is open to him to reapply for unemployment assistance and his case will be referred to a social welfare officer for an investigation of his means. His entitlement to unemployment assistance will be determined on the basis of the amount of means assessed against him.

533.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow is only in receipt of £77.40 disability benefit.

The £77.40 rate is £2.75 per week short of the maximum rate of flat rate disability benefit payable to a married man with two dependent children. To qualify for the maximum rate, the person concerned would have required at least 48 contributions paid or credited in the 1982-83 income tax year. According to the records of the Department, he has only 34 contributions (nine paid and 25 credited) in that year.

The person concerned is not entitled to pay-related benefit as his recorded earnings in the 1982-83 income tax year (£766) are insufficient. If he had additional contributions or earnings in the 1982-83 income tax year, his benefit position will be reviewed on receipt of appropriate details.

534.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a decision will be made on an application for a contributory old age pension from a person (details supplied) in County Galway.

To qualify for a contributory old age pension under the Social Welfare Acts a person is required to have entered into insurable employment before reaching a prescribed age which in this case is age 58. The Department's records show that the person concerned entered into insurance in 1979 at which time he had already reached age 61 years. He does not therefore qualify for a contributory old age pension under the Social Welfare Acts. He was previously employed in Great Britain and under the relevant EC Regulations he has been awarded a pro-rata contributory old age pension, based on a combination of his Irish and British social insurance contributions, at the rate of £12.75 per week with effect from 16 November 1984, the date he reached 66 years of age. He is at present in receipt of a pro-rata retirement pension at the rate of £10.55 per week. Arrangements are being made to withdraw this latter pension and to issue a contributory old age pension book at the higher rate. The arrears of contributory old age pension, less the amount of retirement pension paid in respect of the period involved will be issued to him by payable order.

535.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Offaly who has been signing since the 19 November 1984.

The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 19 November 1984 and his claim was disallowed on the grounds that he failed to satisfy the contribution conditions in the governing contribution year. He claimed unemployment assistance and his case was referred to a social welfare officer for investigation of his means. These inquiries which were extensive were completed recently and he was assessed with means of £26.90 weekly derived from self-employment as a bricklayer. He is accordingly entitled to unemployment assistance at £32.50 weekly the appropriate rate £59.40 less means £26.90 effective from 19 November 1984.

All arrears due to him will be paid this week and further weekly payments of £32.50 will continue to be made as they became due.

536.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a person (details supplied) in County Galway is entitled to unemployment benefit as a result of insurance contributions which she paid while in employment in England and since her return to this country.

The person concerned does not satisfy the contribution conditions for entitlement to unemployment benefit on the basis of her Irish insurance record.

The UK Department of Health and Social Security have been asked for particulars of her contribution record in that country and when this information is supplied, the question of entitlement to benefit can be further examined.

537.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment assistance has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny who is out of work since February 1984, and has no income whatsoever; and if his case can be reinvestigated urgently.

The person concerned claimed unemployment assistance on 5 January 1985 and his case was referred to a social welfare officer for investigation of his means.

Extensive inquiries are still being made in this case and when these are completed his means will be assessed and his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be determined accordingly.

538.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to have a free electricity allowance approved for a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny who is in receipt of a widow's pension.

To qualify for a free electricity allowance the person concerned would need to have reached age 66 years and as she has not attained that age, an allowance cannot be granted in her case.

539.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will review the claim for invalidity pension made by a person (details supplied) in Dublin 16 in view of doctors reports.

The person concerned has been in receipt of disability benefit since 29 February 1984 and payment is being made at regular weekly intervals.

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 was examined in November last by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that he was not permanently incapable of work and asked to have him referred for a further examination after six months. The question of entitlement to invalidity pension will be considered after that examination.

If the person concerned is dissatisfied with this decision it is open to him to forward a detailed report from his doctor. On receipt of this report the question as to whether he is permanently incapable of work will be reviewed by the medical adviser of the Department.

540.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a decision on an appeal by a person (details supplied) in County Galway will be made.

An appeals officer assessed the means of the person concerned at £36 weekly and as his means exceeded the maximum rate of unemployment assistance appropriate to him his claim was disallowed. He was notified accordingly on 25 February 1985.

541.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a prescribed relative allowance will be restored to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry who appears to be clearly entitled to this allowance.

Following a routine review it was found that the conditions for entitlement to a prescribed relative allowance are no longer satisfied in this case. These conditions provide that the pensioner, apart from the prescribed relative, must be living alone and that the prescribed relative must not be engaged in employment outside the home. Neither of these conditions is at present fulfilled in this case.

542.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in the payment of disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford.

The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 6 November 1984. There was a delay in paying benefit because it was necessary to establish particulars of her contribution record under her old insurance number and in regard to insurance in the United Kingdom, as she had insufficient contributions paid under her RSI number in order to qualify for benefit.

These inquiries have now been completed and all disability benefit and pay-related benefit payable to 8 March 1985, the date of the latest medical certificate received, has now been issued.

543.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position regarding the application for old age pension made by a person (details supplied) in County Limerick.

It has been decided that the person concerned is entitled to old age pension at the weekly rate of £39.30 from 1 February 1985. This is the rate of pension to which she is entitled having regard to the assessment of her means consisting of half the weekly letting value of a holding.

Her husband's pension book has been recalled for adjustment to the single rate and when it has been returned the appropriate pension books will be issued to both pensioners.

544.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare if unemployment assistance arrears for one week will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.

The person concerned is at present in receipt of unemployment assistance at £46.15 weekly the appropriate rate £75 less means £28.85. His means are derived from self-employment as a hairdresser.

He did not sign as unemployed for 1 and 2 March 1985 and accordingly he was paid £38.20 for that week for 4 days. He was however written to by his local office and asked if he wished to sign retrospectively as unemployed on those two days but to date he has not replied. His entitlement to payment will be considered when he does so.

545.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason there has been almost a three month delay in processing a claim for unemployment benefit for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11 and when his claim will be decided.

The person concerned exhausted his entitlement to unemployment benefit on 9 August 1984.

He claimed unemployment assistance on 17 December 1984 and his claim was referred to a social welfare officer for investigation of his means.

The social welfare officer made a number of void calls to his home address before he succeeded in interviewing him, and inquiries in the matter were only recently completed. The claim papers are at present in transit to a deciding officer for assessment of his means on the basis of the report of his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be decided in the light of the amount of means assessed against him.

546.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in granting an old age pension to a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon who has appealed his case since November 1984.

It was decided by an appeals officer in May 1984 that the person concerned is not entitled to a non-contributory old age pension as he did not fulfil the statutory conditions as to means. A repeat claim was made in December 1984 and is under investigation at present. It is expected that the investigations will be completed shortly and the claim will then be forwarded to a deciding officer for decision. The pensioner will be notified of the outcome in due course.

The delay in dealing with this case is due to the pressure of work at the social welfare station concerned.

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