asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the disallowance of unemployment benefit in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare having regard to the conclusive details supplied.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
42.
Entitlement to unemployment benefit is subject to the condition that a person must have at least 26 contributions paid or credited in the governing contribution year. The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 24 April 1985. Following inquiries her claim to unemployment benefit was disallowed on the grounds that her employment for the period April 1972 to December 1984 was not considered to be insurable under the Social Welfare Acts. She was informed of the decision regarding the insurability of this employment on 18 July 1985. She appealed against the decision and her case has been referred to an appeals officer for determination. Her appeal has been listed for oral hearing, and will be dealt with at the first available opportunity.
43.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will make a decision on the unemployment assistance appeal of a person (details supplied) in County Laois.
According to the Department's records the person concerned has not appealed against the disallowance of his claim for unemployment assistance. He claimed unemployment assistance on 24 January 1984 and his claim was disallowed on the grounds that he was not available for and not genuinely seeking work. He was advised of the disallowance and of his right to appeal, but he failed to do so. Following the receipt of documentary evidence in January 1985 his case was referred to a deciding officer for consideration. His claim to unemployment assistance was disallowed again on the grounds that he was not available for and not genuinely seeking work. He did not appeal although advised of his right to do so.
His case was considered again in July 1985 but in the opinion of the deciding officer he did not fulfil the conditions of being available for and genuinely seeking work. He has been written to again and asked to furnish details of recent efforts he has made to secure employment. His entitlement to unemployment assistance will be considered in the light of his reply.
44.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will direct his Department and the health boards to expand the free fuel scheme to cover long term unemployed people; if he is aware of the difficulties being encountered by these people at the moment; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Under the supplementary welfare allowances scheme fuel allowances may be paid by health boards to persons in receipt of certain social welfare or analogous payments, subject to certain conditions. Persons in receipt of unemployment payments are not covered by this scheme. The extension of the scheme to cover long term unemployed people would have very significant cost implications and there are no plans for such an extension in present circumstances.
45.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will permit persons undergoing adult education, including third level, who are unemployed to continue to draw unemployment assistance while doing so provided they are available for work as in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 12.
Entitlement to unemployment assistance or unemployment benefit is subject to the condition that an applicant is available for work and to fulfil this condition a person must be capable of, available for and genuinely seeking work. In general pursuance of full time education normally involves a degree of commitment from the person concerned which would not be consistent with availability for work. Each individual application is determined, however, on its own particular merits. Where an applicant satisfies a deciding officer that his participation in an educational programme is not inconsistent with fulfilling the condition of being available for work, payment of unemployment benefit or unemployment assistance may be allowed subject to all other conditions being satisfied.
The person concerned, a married man with one qualified child dependant, claimed unemployment assistance on 24 August 1984 and is currently in receipt of £68.85 weekly. He did not inform the employment exchange concerning his involvement in an educational course. The effect of the course on his availability for work will be examined when next he attends the exchange.
46.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when it is intended to pay unemployment benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
Entitlement to unemployment benefit is subject to the condition that a person must have at least 26 contributions paid or credited in the governing contribution year. According to the Department's records the person concerned does not satisfy this contribution condition and, accordingly, would not be entitled to unemployment benefit.
The person concerned applied for unemployment assistance on 2 September 1985 and following investigation of his claim, he was assessed with nil means. He is, accordingly, entitled to unemployment assistance at the appropriate maximum rate of £32.75 weekly, with effect from 2 September 1985, and he was paid in respect of a current week on 27 November 1985.
When the amount of supplementary welfare allowance paid to him, pending a decision on his claim, has been ascertained, arrears of unemployment assistance, less the amount of supplementary welfare allowance, will be paid to him. Further weekly payments at £32.75 will continue to be made as they become due.
47.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Galway has been disqualified from payment of unemployment assistance.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed on the grounds that his means, derived from the value of board and lodgings on his parents holding, and from self-employment, excceeded the statutory limit.
He appealed against the disallowance and an appeals officer recently assessed his means of £16.80 weekly, effective from 16 January 1985. He is, accordingly, entitled to unemployment assistance at £13.15 weekly from 16 January 1985, being the appropriate rate in his case of £29.95 less means of £16.80, increased to £14.95 from 3 July 1985, being the appropriate rate of £31.75, less means of £16.80. Arrangements are being made to pay all arrears due, this week, and weekly payments will continue to be made as they become due.
48.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Galway was transferred from an old age pension to a retirement pension with subsequent loss of income.
The person concerned has been in receipt of retirement pension since 2 February 1978 at the rate appropriate to his yearly average of 33 contributions. He has never been in receipt of an old age pension from the Department and even if he were transferred to such a pension there would be no change in his weekly rate of payment.
An amount of £3.40 a week, equivalent to the amount of the living alone allowance for which he qualifies, is being with-held in order to offset an overpayment of retirement pension which he is required to repay to the Department.
49.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an old age pension will be sanctioned and paid to a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath.
A claim to old age pension from the person concerned has been partially investigated. The social welfare officer is awaiting copies of deeds of transfer of two holdings. When this information is received the case will be referred to a deciding officer. The person concerned will be notified of the decision without delay.
50.
Mr. Cowen
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Offaly is in receipt of only £65 per week unemployment benefit and if he is getting his full entitlement of pay-related benefit.
The person concerned is in receipt of unemployment benefit of £65.10 weekly, which is the maximum rate of unemployment benefit applicable to a married man. He is not entitled to pay-related benefit, with flat rate unemployment benefit, as he has insufficient earnings during the relevant income tax period 6 April 1983 to 5 April 1984.
51.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Waterford did not receive an increase in his unemployment benefit while his wife was out of work for five months.
Following the exhaustion of his entitlement to unemployment benefit, the person concerned applied for unemployment assistance on 11 July 1985. He was assessed with means of £43.15 weekly derived from benefit from his wife's earnings. He is, accordingly, entitled to unemployment assistance at £17 weekly, being the appropriate rate in his case of £60.15 less means of £43.15. He works one day each week and receives payment, which amounts to £14.20, in respect of five days of unemployment.
The person concerned appealed against the means assessment and it then came to light that his wife was not working for a specific number of weeks. The case was returned to the social welfare officer for clarification and recently referred to an appeals officer for determination, at the earliest available opportunity. The rate of unemployment assistance payable will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.
52.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason payment of unemployment assistance has been discontinued in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Waterford.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed, following a review, 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 appealed against the disallowance and his case has been referred again to the social welfare officer, to give him another opportunity to co-operate in the investigation of his means. When these inquiries are completed his case will be submitted to an appeals officer for determination and his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.