asked the Minister for Social Welfare if pay-related benefit can be approved for a person (details supplied) in County Dublin.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
40.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 14 December 1983 and all benefit payable has been issued to 25 June 1985, the date of the latest medical certificate received. In order to qualify for pay-related benefit the claimant would need to have earned over £1,800 in the 1981-82 year. According to the records of the Department her earnings in that year were only £1,558. She is, therefore, not entitled to payment of pay-related benefit.
41.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an appeal for disability benefit will be heard for a person (details supplied) in County Carlow.
Payment of disability benefit to the person concerned was disallowed from 17 May 1985, following an examination by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that he was capable of work. He appealed against the disallowance and in connection with his appeal arrangements have been made to have him examined on 22 July 1985 by a different medical referee. The person concerned will be notified of the time and place of the examination. His entitlement to further payment of disability benefit will be reviewed in the light of the medical referee's report following this examination.
42.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a decision will be made on a claim for disability benefit for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
Payment of disability benefit to the person concerned was disallowed from 5 December 1984, following an examination by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that she was capable of work. She appealed against the disallowance and she was examined on 27 March 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 case as soon as possible. The person concerned will be notified of the time and place of the hearing when the arrangements have been completed.
43.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if approval of a non-contributory old age pension for a person (details supplied) in County Wexford will be reconsidered in view of the fact that the person has a negligible income.
An application for old age pension from the person concerned was refused in September 1984 on the grounds that his means, consisting of capital, an annuity and the yearly value of his holding, exceeded the statutory limit for entitlement to pension. The Deputy's representations have been accepted as a repeat claim to old age pension on behalf of the person concerned and the case is being referred to the social welfare officer for investigation. When inquiries have been completed a decision will be made and the claimant will be notified of the outcome.
44.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when arrears of disability benefit and an invalidity pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry having regard to numerous representations made by Deputy John O'Leary on this matter.
The person concerned was paid disability benefit from 27 January 1984 and was transferred to invalidity pension from 31 January 1985. All arrears of disability benefit and invalidity pension have been issued to the person concerned, less the amount of supplementary welfare allowance advanced to him by the Southern Health Board.
45.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a person (details supplied) in Dublin 7 who has an artificial limb and whose wife is on a pension is entitled to a free telephone rental allowance; and, if not, the reason.
There is no record in the Department of receipt of an application for a free telephone rental allowance from the persons concerned. An application form was issued to them on 28 June 1985. On receipt of the completed application in the Department, an early decision will be given in the case and they will be notified of the outcome.
46.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny who was 66 years of age in May 1985, will receive a contributory pension applied for in April 1985.
The person concerned has been awarded a contributory old age pension at the maximum rate with effect from 24 May 1985, that is, the Friday following her 66th birthday. She is in receipt of a widow's contributory pension at present. This will continue to be paid to her up to 5 July 1985 and she will then be issued with a contributory old age pension book containing orders payable from 12 July 1985. The arrears of contributory old age pension payable to her from 24 May 1985, less the amount of the widow's contributory pension paid to her from that date, will be issued to her by payable order.
47.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny will receive disability benefit.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 26 June 1985 and qualifies for payment at the weekly rate of £18.63 from 29 June 1985, fourth day of incapacity. A first certificate only has been received from the person concerned and on receipt of further medical evidence payment will be issued to her.
48.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if person (details supplied) in County Westmeath who are both old age pensioners will be entitled to a free telephone rental allowance on their English social security pension.
An application for a free telephone allowance from the persons concerned was rejected on 10 April 1981 as, from the information furnished, neither of them was permanently incapacitated as required by the scheme. The Deputy's representations have been accepted as a repeat application on behalf of the persons concerned and an application form was issued to them on 1 July 1985. On receipt of the completed application in the Department an early decision will be given in the case and they will be notified of the outcome.
49.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a retirement pension will be approved for a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; and, if so, when and at what rate.
The person concerned claimed a retirement pension on 16 May 1985. He retired from employment on 13 June 1985. He has been awarded a retirement pension at the maximum rate with effect from 20 June 1985, that is, the first Thursday following his date of retirement. A retirement pension book containing orders payable from 11 July 1985, together with a supplementary book in respect of one qualified child containing orders payable from the same date, is being issued to the designated post office and he is being notified accordingly. The rate payable to him from 20 June 1985 is £89 per week, including £30.80 in respect of his wife and £9.95 for the qualified child. His total rate will be increased to £94.80 per week from 11 July 1985.
He is in receipt of unemployment benefit at present and the amount of retirement pension for the period from 20 June 1985 to 10 July 1985, less the amount of unemployment benefit paid to him in that period will be issued to him by payable order.
50.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when arrears of an old age pension will be paid to a person (detils supplied) in County Wexford.
Under the relevant legislation, old age pension cannot be paid in respect of a person while absent from the State.
The person concerned has not been in touch with the Department since 1983 and is understood to be living abroad. It would appear that she may have previously received pension to which due to her absence from the State, she was not entitled. Inquiries will be necessary, on her return, to establish her correct entitlements. If she has now returned to this country she should, accordingly, notify the Department. Her entitlement to pension will then be examined and she will be notified of the outcome.
51.
Mr. Cowen
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will reconsider the decision to refuse a free electricity allowance to a person (details supplied) in County Offaly on the basis that she lives alone and is in receipt of a widow's pension of £43.45 per week.
To qualify for a free electricity allowance the person concerned would need to have reached the age of 66 years and as she has not attained that age an allowance cannot be granted in her case.
52.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry in view of the fact that it was necessary for him to submit a duplicate application plus medical certificates.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 24 April 1984 to 20 May 1984. There was a delay in payment of benefit in respect of the period 27 April 1984, the fourth day of incapacity, to 6 May 1984 due to the fact that the first medical certificate submitted was not dated. Following the receipt of a statement from his employers giving the dates of his absence from work due to illness, an adjustment cheque in payment of arrears of benefit payable on his claim was issued on 2 July 1985. The claimant also claimed disability benefit from 17 September 1984 to 22 September 1984 and from 10 June 1985 to 22 June 1985. All benefit payable on these claims has been issued.
53.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance at the correct rate will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The rate of unemployment benefit payable to an applicant is reduced after 156 days of benefit where he does not satisfy the contribution condition of having 280 paid contributions in a seven year period. The person concerned requalified for unemployment benefit from 2 July 1984 and his claim was allowed at the maximum rate appropriate in his case.
However, as he did not satisfy the contribution condition of having 280 paid contributions in the seven year period the rate of unemployment benefit payable to him was reduced from £70.25 weekly to £60.90 weekly from 1 January 1985, the 157th day of his claim.
54.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a noncontributory old age pension was not granted to a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will have the matter reinvestigated.
The person concerned was refused old age pension on 4 September 1984 as the assessment of his means, consisting of the weekly value of his British retirement pension, exceeded the statutory limit for entitlement to pension. The Deputy's representations have been accepted as a repeat claim to old age pension on behalf of the person concerned. The case is being referred to the social welfare officer for investigation. On completion of inquiries a decision will be made and the person concerned will be notified of the outcome.
55.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the reduction in the amount of unemployment assistance being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Carlow.
It has not been possible to trace receipt of a claim for unemployment assistance which refers to the person named in the details supplied. Further inquiries in the matter will be made if the Deputy will furnish additional information to enable the person concerned to be identified.
56.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a decision will be made in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Cork whose pension was suspended in July 1984.
It has been decided by an appeals officer that the person concerned is not entitled to an old age pension as he does not fulfil the statutory condition as to means. The assessment of his means consisting of half the weekly value of capital and a holding (the transfer of which has not been accepted for old age pension purposes) exceed the statutory limit for entitlement to pension. The case is at present under review to see if there are any new facts which would warrant a revision of the appeals officer's decision. The person concerned will be notified of the outcome.
57.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned appealed against the disallowance of his unemployment assistance claim and arising from contentions made in support of his appeal the case was returned to the social welfare officer for further inquiries. The inquiries which were extensive were recently completed. On the basis of information which emerged from these inquiries a deciding officer has revised a previous decision and assessed his means at £9.25 weekly derived from a second house not personally used by him. He is accordingly entitled to unemployment assistance at £72.60 weekly the appropriate rate £81.85 less means £9.25. Weekly payments will commence this week and all arrears due will issue next week.
58.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a non-contributory old age pension will be granted to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The old age pension claim of the person concerned has been partially investigated by the social welfare officer. Details regarding the transfer of a holding have been requested and when these are received the claim will be referred to a deciding officer for decision. The claimant will be notified of the outcome in due course.