asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will replace a free travel card for a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
130.
A form of application for replacement of her free travel pass has been issued to the person concerned. When the completed form is returned to the Department, the question of issuing a replacement pass will be considered and she will be notified of the outcome.
131.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment assistance has been withdrawn from a person (details supplied) in County Meath.
The person concerned was in continuous receipt of unemployment assistance on the basis of a means assessment of £36.50. His means are derived from the profit from his holding.
Following a recent review of his claim his means were assessed at £48.05 weekly, effective from 5 December 1985. He will, accordingly, be in receipt of unemployment assistance at £36.60 weekly, being the appropriate rate in his case of £84.65 less means of £48.05, from 12 December 1985. If he is dissatisfied with this decision it is open to him to appeal. A form for this purpose may be obtained at his local office.
132.
Mr. Cowen
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when the most recent invalidity pension book was issued to a person (details supplied) in County Offaly.
Renewal invalidity pension order books for £90 and £16.20 payable from 3 October 1985 were issued to the designated post office of payment with the general issue of renewal books on 18 September 1985.
133.
(Limerick West) asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment assistance was not paid to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed 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 of his claim and an appeals officer also decided that he had failed to disclose details of his means, and he was notified accordingly.
The person concerned recently applied for a review of his means and his case has been referred to the social welfare officer for investigation. When the inquiries are completed his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be determined in the light of the means assessed against him.
134.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will pay the maximum rate of unemployment benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
An applicant for unemployment benefit who is a land holder 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 land holder who did not satisfy that contribution condition of his claim to unemployment benefit of 16 September 1985. His case was referred to a social welfare officer for investigation and as it was established that the profit from his holding exceeded £2 daily, his claim to unemployment benefit was disallowed.
The person concerned claimed unemployment assistance from 16 September 1985 and his claim was authorised at £61 weekly, being the appropriate rate in his case of £84.65 less means of £23.65 assessed against him. Deductions of £10 weekly from his unemployment assistance are being made towards recovery of unemployment benefit paid to him during the period 30 November 1984 to 26 March 1985 to which he was not entitled.
135.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a retirement pension was not paid for six weeks to the next of kin of a deceased person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny where she was told that she would be paid this pension.
The deceased pensioner in this case had been in receipt of retirement pension at the appropriate personal rate as a single man from November 1970 up to his death on 1 November 1983. There is no provision in the Social Welfare Acts for payment of pension in respect of any period after the death of a pensioner except in a case where the pensioner leaves an adult dependant in respect of whom he had an entitlement to an adult dependant allowance. Since the next of kin in this case was not dependent on the deceased pensioner, she does not qualify for the six week payment.
136.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 1 who is on short term unemployment assistance, was cut by £1 per week recently.
The person concerned claimed unemployment assistance on 29 July 1985 and her claim was put into payment on the basis of an existing qualification certificate which recorded her with nil means. Following a recent reinvestigation of her claim, her means were assessed at £1.60 weekly, derived from the value of board and lodgings in her parents home. She is, accordingly, in receipt of unemployment assistance at £31.15 weekly, being the appropriate rate in her case of £32.75 less means of £1.60.
137.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a small farmer (details supplied) in County Wexford will have the decision relating to payment of unemployment assistance revised on the basis of an appeal allowing him an oral hearing given the under-estimation by the social welfare officer of his expenses.
Following a review of the unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned, he was assessed with means of £72.10 weekly, effective from 4 December 1985. His means are derived from the profit from his holding. He is, accordingly, entitled to unemployment assistance at £20.25 weekly, being the appropriate rate in his case of £92.35 less means of £72.10. If he is dissatisfied with the amount of means assessed against him it is open to him to appeal and have his means determined by an appeals officer. A form for this purpose has been issued to him by his local office.
138.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a person (details supplied) in County Wexford is eligible for a free telephone rental allowance and, if not, the reason.
To qualify for a free telephone rental allowance a person in receipt of a qualifying payment must be living 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 application of the person concerned for the allowance was approved in May 1984 and she was notified accordingly on 29 May 1984. Telecom Éireann has confirmed that the allowance appeared on her telephone account from the date of installation of her telephone on 3 August 1984.
Her entitlement to the allowance however ceased on 16 November 1984 when her daughter and her family took up residence with her, as they are not permanently incapacitated as required by the scheme. The allowance, was therefore terminated with effect from that date.
When the allowance was being terminated an error was made and a credit of £32.64 rental is now due. This will appear on her next telephone account which will issue in February 1986.
139.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will approve an application for unemployment assistance from a person (details supplied) in County Laois.
The person concerned applied for unemployment assistance on 25 November 1985 and the case was referred to the social welfare officer for investigation of his means. When the inquiries are completed his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be determined in the light of the amount of means assessed against him.
140.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
Following a review, the unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed on the grounds that his means, derived from the profit from his holding, exceeded the statutory limit. He appealed against the disallowance but an appeals officer, following an oral hearing of the appeal on 1 November 1985, also decided that his means exceeded the statutory limit. Notification of the disallowance was issued to the person concerned on 20 November 1985.
141.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will grant a free telephone rental allowance to a person (details supplied) in County Galway as she had a free telephone rental allowance facility heretofore, she lives alone, has a heart condition and is in urgent need of this facility; if he will grant this facility immediately, the date on which this decision will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
To qualify for a free telephone rental allowance a person under age 66 years must be in receipt of an invalidity pension from the Department or a disabled person's maintenance allowance from a health board. The person concerned, who is under that age, is not in receipt of either of these payments. A free telephone rental allowance cannot therefore be granted in her case. She was notified of this decision on 2 December 1985. Her late husband was in receipt of the allowance as an old age pensioner until his death in August 1985 when the allowance terminated.