asked the Minister for Social Welfare the outcome of an appeal by a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny against the decision of his Department not to grant her disability benefit.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
555.
Payment of disability benefit to the person concerned was disallowed from 14 November 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 7 February 1985 by a different medical referee who also expressed the opinion that she was capable of work. Her case has been referred to an appeals officer who proposes to hold an oral hearing of her claim as soon as possible. She will be notified of the date and place of the hearing as soon as the arrangements have been made.
556.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will reinvestigate the claim of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny for a non-contributory old age pension with a view to granting a substantial increase to the applicant.
It has been decided 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 a holding exceed the statutory limit for entitlement to pension. A deed of transfer of the holding has since been received by the social welfare officer who is now reinvestigating the claim. When her inquiries have been completed the matter will be decided and the claimant will be notified of the outcome.
557.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the outcome of the recent inquiries which his Department made in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny who is required to sign on daily on the unemployment register.
An irregularity related to concurrent working and signing as unemployed arose in relation to the person in question as there was subsequently some doubt as to whether he fulfilled the statutory conditions for receipt of unemployment assistance. He was accordingly instructed to sign the unemployed register daily to prove unemployment. Following a recent review of the case it has been decided that the current signing arrangements are necessary for the present. His case will, however, be kept under continuous review.
558.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the refusal of the application of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny for a free telephone rental allowance.
To qualify for a free telephone rental allowance, a person in receipt of a qualifying payment must be living entirely alone or only with children under 15 years of age or other persons who are so permanently incapacitated as to be unable to summon aid in an emergency. The person concerned is residing with his wife and daughter, neither of whom are, from the information furnished, permanently incapacitated as required by the scheme. His application had, therefore, to be rejected and he was notified accordingly on 27 March 1985.
559.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will indicate the position of an applicant (details supplied) in County Kilkenny who appealed against the decision of his Department to grant him only £13 per week unemployment assistance.
The person concerned is at present in receipt of unemployment assistance at £14.35 weekly the appropriate rate £81.85 less means £67.50. His means are derived from the value of self employment as a builder. He recently appealed against the amount of means assessed against him and arrangements are being made to refer his case to an appeals officer for determination. His rate of unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.
560.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will indicate the present position concerning the application of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny for an invalidity 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. On its return, duly completed, the claim will be dealt with without delay.
561.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment benefit was not paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny during the first six weeks she was unemployed.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 15 February 1985 and her entitlement to unemployment benefit for the period 15 February 1985 to 28 February cannot be determined until inquiries have been completed to establish whether she lost her employment through her own misconduct. When these inquiries are completed a decision on her entitlement for the period will be made. Payment of unemployment benefit was made from 1 March 1985 at £37.25 weekly, which is the appropriate rate payable in her case. Further weekly payments will continue to be made as they become due.
562.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an invalidity pension will be awarded to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny who was to be called before a medical referee last February.
The person concerned has been in receipt of disability benefit since 10 August 1983 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 July last by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that he was not permanently incapable of work. He is therefore not qualified for the receipt of invalidity pension. If he is dissatisfied with this decision it is open to him to forward a detailed report from his doctor which will be reviewed by the medical referee of the Department. His entitlement to invalidity pension will be considered following this review.
563.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a family income supplement for only £3.25 per week is being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary as he has five children and this seems a very meagre supplement in view of the circumstances of his case; the amount which will be paid; and if retrospective payments will now be paid.
The person concerned was awarded a family income supplement with effect from 6 September 1984. His gross family income for the purpose of calculating the amount of the supplement was assessed at £127, comprising his gross earnings of £90 weekly and social welfare benefit payable to his wife. The amount of supplement awarded, £3.25 represents 25 per cent of the difference between his gross income and the limit of £140 which applies in the case of a family with four qualified children.
The supplement was awarded for the period beginning on 6 September 1984 and it is the family size at that date which determines the level of payment throughout the period of entitlement. The amount of supplement cannot be altered to take account of the birth of an additional child during the period of the award.
An appeal has been made against the decision and the case is being referred to an appeals officer for determination. The claimant will be notified of the outcome in due course.
564.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason an old age pension has not yet been granted to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; when this will be granted; and the amount which will be paid.
The person concerned reached age 66 years on 24 February 1985 and claimed an old age contributory pension on 20 March 1985. He has been awarded the pension at the maximum rate of £84.25 per week with effect from 1 March 1985 i.e. the Friday following his 66th Birthday. An old age contributory pension book containing orders payable from 5 April 1985 has been issued to the designated post office for collection by him and he has been notified accordingly. Arrears of pension from 1 March 1985 to 4 April 1985 will be issued to him in the next few days.
565.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if full arrears of unmarried mother's allowance payments will be issued to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; and if payments will be checked out to ensure that they were at the correct rate.
The person concerned has received all arrears of unmarried mother's allowance payable to her.
Her allowance was suspended for two weeks from 21 February 1985 to 6 March 1985. It was then restored (including the two weeks in question) and at the same time she was awarded an increase of £11.60 per week in her rate of payment in respect of an additional child, backdated to 27 September 1984. An order book at the increased rate of £62.65 per week payable from 7 March 1985 was sent to the designated post office for collection by her. Arrears in respect of the additional child at the rate of £11.60 for the 21 week period from 27 September 1984 to 20 February 1985 (including a double payment on 6 December 1984) came to £255.20, and arrears of the full payment at the increased rate of £62.65 for the two weeks from 21 February 1985 to 6 March 1985, came to £125.30. A sum of £140.55 was with held from the total of £380.50 and refunded to the South Eastern Health Board for supplementary welfare allowance paid to her by them from the week ending 23 February 1985 to the week ending 9 March 1985 and the balance of £239.95 was sent to her by payable order on 11 April 1985.
The claimant is apparently under a misapprehension that she was not paid for the week beginning 14 February 1985 but An Post has confirmed that the order for that date was duly cashed.
Payment due on 6 December 1984 at double the appropriate rate of £51.05 for herself and one child would have been made to her when she cashed the order for that date.
566.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if payment of a death or a funeral grant will be reconsidered for a person (details supplied) in County Wexford in view of the yearly average of contributions paid and credited since his entry into insurance and the circumstances of the accident in question.
Further examination of the insurance record of the deceased person has shown that he is entitled to 12 pre-entry credits which, together with his 16 paid contributions in the year governing his claim, now give title to a reduced rate of death grant of £80. This grant will be issued to the next-of-kin without delay.
A form has also been issued for completion to enable consideration to be given as to whether entitlement to a funeral grant arises under the occupational injury benefit scheme.
567.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a deserted wife's allowance will be approved and paid to a person (details supplied) in County Dublin.
The investigation of the claim of the person concerned to a deserted wife's payment has not yet been completed.
She has been visited by a local officer of the Department but it will also be necessary to have her husband interviewed and it is hoped to do so inside the next few days. As soon as the reports on the case are received, a decision will be given and the claimant will be notified.
568.
(Limerick West) asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a decision will be made in respect of an appeal regarding a decision by a medical referee to discontinue benefit in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick.
Payment of disability benefit to the person concerned was disallowed from 28 January 1985, following examination by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that he was capable of work. He appealed against the disallowance and arrangements have been made to have him examined on 7 May 1985 by a different medical referee. His entitlement to further payment of disability benefit will be reviewed following receipt of the report of this examination.
569.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an application for a family income supplement will be approved and paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned has been awarded family income supplement at the weekly rate of £7.75. He is entitled to family income supplement from 6 September 1984 other than for weeks during which he was in receipt of unemployment benefit. The appropriate order book is being issued to the designated post office today and the claimant has been notified accordingly. The order book contains orders from 6 December 1984 and a payable order containing arrears for the appropriate weeks between 6 September 1984 and 6 December 1984 will issue to him shortly.
570.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position with regard to the old age pension application of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; if this person is getting the maximum rate of pension, and, if not, the reason.
The person concerned is entitled to a pension of £25.50 a week, which includes an over eighty allowance of £3 and a living alone allowance of £3.20. Her circumstances were recently reinvestigated in response to an application for an increase in pension and it has been decided that she is not entitled to an increase. The assessment of her means, consisting of half the weekly value of capital and profit from a holding, only entitle her to pension at the rate indicated. An overpayment of pension which arose as a result of non-disclosure of capital at an earlier assessment is being recovered by withholding £4 a week from her entitlement and a pension of £21.50 a week is, accordingly, being paid to her.
571.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a free electricity allowance and a TV licence will be granted to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
An application for a free electricity allowance received from the person concerned has been approved and the ESB has been instructed to apply the allowance to his electricity account from the April-May 1985 billing period onwards. He also qualifies for a free television licence which may be obtained on application at the local post office.
572.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying eight days arrears due to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and when the arrears will be paid.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 23 July 1984 and was paid from 26 July 1984, fourth day of incapacity, to 12 January 1985. His final medical certificate did not indicate when he would be fit to resume work and as a result of an administrative oversight the matter was not pursued at that time.
It has now been confirmed that he was entitled to payment of disability benefit to 19 January 1985 and the arrears payable were issued to him on 23 April 1985.
573.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Limerick is not getting the full amount of money to which he believes he is entitled; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The person concerned has been paid disability benefit at the maximum appropriate rate of £37.25 per week from 8 October 1984, the fourth day of incapacity.
He has also been paid pay-related benefit from 25 October 1984, the nineteenth day of incapacity, based on his earnings of £6,112 in the 1982-83 income tax year. This benefit is payable at the rate of 25 per cent of reckonable weekly earnings for 141 days and at the rate of 20 per cent of such earnings for the next 234 (Sundays excluded). He was paid at the weekly rate of £19.83 reducing to £15.87 from 8 April 1985 having been paid 141 days at the 25 per cent rate.
All disability and pay-related benefit payable to 27 April 1985, the date of the latest medical certificate received, has been issued.
574.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when arrears of invalidity pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Louth.
Arrears of invalidity pension will be paid by payable order on 24 April 1985.
575.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Louth.
The person concerned was paid disability benefit from 2 February 1983 to 16 February 1985 when payment was disallowed following examination by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that she was capable of work. She made a further claim to disability benefit from 11 March 1985 which was also disallowed on the grounds that she was capable of work.
She was notified of the disallowances and of her right to appeal but she has not appealed against the disallowance of either claim.
576.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 20 August 1984.
He indicated that he was last insurably employed in Britain and his claim was transferred to the Department of Health and Social Security on 14 September 1984. Arising from further correspondence from the person concerned, there is now a possibility that he may be entitled to benefit in Ireland. His insurance record has been requested from the British authorities and when this information comes to hand his claim will be reviewed without delay.
The person concerned is currently in receipt of supplementary welfare allowance from the Southern Health Board.
577.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a free telephone rental will be granted to a person (details supplied) in County Cork who applied over two months ago.
The person concerned was approved by the Department for a free telephone rental allowance and he was notified accordingly on 17th April 1985. Telecom Éireann have been advised of the decision in the case and will arrange to apply the allowance from the date on which the applicant is provided with telephone service.
578.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Meath who has submitted five medical certificates to his Department.
All disability benefit payable from 20 February 1985 to 15 April 1985, the date of the latest medical certificate received, has been issued to the person concerned.