asked the Minister for Health when a disabled person's allowance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Louth as this applicant has been certified as permanently unfit for work with no other source of income; and if payment will be restored before Christmas.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
80.
A disabled person's maintenance allowance is payable by health boards subject to both medical and means test.
The person concerned was in receipt of the allowance but this was withdrawn by the health board on medical grounds. The person is to have a medical re-assessment on Friday, 19 December, 1986 following which the health board will make a decision on the case. The person is at present in receipt of supplementary welfare allowance of £32 per week.
81.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a free electricity allowance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
There is no record in the Department of receipt of application for a free electricity allowance from the person concerned. An application form has therefore been issued to her and it should be completed and forwarded in the first instance to the ESB for attention.
On receipt of the completed application form, her entitlement will be considered and she will be notified of the outcome.
Persons who qualify for free electricity allowance are automatically entitled to a free television licence which may be obtained on application at their local post office.
82.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when she will pay unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The person concerned claimed unemployment assistance in May 1986 and her papers were referred to a social welfare officer for investigation.
These inquiries, which have proved very protracted due to difficulty in ascertaining details of the person's bank account, are expected to be completed shortly. Her case will then be submitted to a deciding officer for assessment of means at the earliest available opportunity. Her entitlement to unemployment assistance will be determined in the light of this assessment.
83.
(Limerick West) asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Limerick is not receiving the maximum amount of disability benefit.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 1 April 1980 and is currently being paid at the weekly rate of £120.65, the maximum rate appropriate to a married man with six dependent children.
Payment is issued at regular weekly intervals on receipt of monthly medical evidence and all benefit payable has been issued to date.
84.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will investigate the case of a person (details supplied) who did not receive any maternity or disability benefit because her employer, a Cork consultant, stated that she made a private arrangement with her that she would only pay a reduced stamp despite her working 20 hours a week; whether the word of this consultant is being taken in this case; or if she will consider having the matter looked into once again.
The employment of the person concerned has been investigated by the Department and it is accepted that she was employed for 20 hours a week. A deciding officer has held her employment insurable at class A contribution and both herself and her employer have been notified of the decision.
Arrears of contributions due in consequence of the employer in the case paying at the lower class J rate will now be assessed. The Collector General, Office of the Revenue Commissioners, will then be advised of the arrears due for collection.
In the meantime the contributions in question are being treated as having been paid and claims made by the person concerned to maternity and disability benefit are being reviewed in the light of the deciding officer's decision. Her claim to unemployment benefit is also being reviewed and payment due to her will issue shortly.
85.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason an invalidity pension has been withdrawn from a person (details supplied) in County Louth after only six months on this pension having been on disability benefit for several years; if she is aware that this applicant is awaiting a bed in Navan orthopaedic hospital for a very serious operation; if evidence to this effect, having been submitted to the examiner and deciding officer, was considered; if an error has occurred in this case; and if in view of the hardship involved she will review this case urgently.
Invalidity pension was awarded to the person concerned from 3 October 1985. A condition for the continued entitlement to this pension is that the pensioner remains incapable of work. The medical referee, after taking all the evidence into consideration, including the evidence mentioned, expressed the opinion that he was capable of work. The deciding officer accordingly decided that the conditions for the continued receipt of the pension were no longer satisfied and the pension was disallowed from 27 November 1986, the date of the examination by the medical referee.
This decision was forwarded to the person concerned on 3 December 1986 and he was requested to return his invalidity pension books. He was also advised that if he was dissatisfied with the decision he could appeal it by forwarding medical evidence to the Department. On receipt of invalidity pension books and medical evidence arrangements will be made to have him examined by a different medical referee. His entitlement to continued payment of the pension will be reviewed in the light of the next medical referee examination in the event of an appeal being received.
86.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will receive payment of unemployment assistance; and the weekly rate of assistance payable.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was referred to a social welfare officer for investigation of means.
The inquiries in the case are expected to be completed shortly. The claim will then be submitted to a deciding officer for assessment of means. The entitlement of the person concerned to unemployment assistance will be determined in the light of this assessment.
87.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if her Department will immediately regularise invalidity pension payments to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 13; if she will ensure that all arrears due arising out of adjustments due to the implementation of the equality directive will issue before Christmas; and if she will outline the rate of payment for the future for this person.
Since 20 November 1986 the rate of invalidity pension appropriate to the person concerned is £78, that is, £47.10 personal rate, a special temporary payment of £20 and an allowance of £10.90 for two qualified children.
His wife is receiving disability benefit and under the equality provisions for men and women in social welfare matters he is not entitled to be paid for her as an adult dependant and he is only entitled to be paid half the child dependant allowance since 20 November 1986. He is however being paid an additional temporary payment of £20 on a transitional basis.
The person concerned delayed in forwarding details of his wife's position under the equality directive and his invalidity pension was not adjusted until 27 November 1986. He was paid the full rate adult and child dependants allowances up to 26 November 1986, when the books covering these allowances were received back in the Department.
A pension book at £10.90 rate covering the child dependent allowance and a £10 book, both payable from 27 November 1986 were issued on 1 December 1986. A second £10 book also payable from 27 November 1986 was issued on 4 December 1986. All payment due on invalidity pension is therefore being made and there are no arrears due.
The wife of the person concerned now has an equal right with him to claim for their children and her disability benefit has been increased from £41.10 to £51.05. In addition she is receiving pay-related benefit of £14.93.
88.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will pay the Christmas bonus to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny who is in receipt of unemployment assistance.
The Social Welfare (Temporary Provisions) Regulations, 1986 provide for a Christmas bonus of 65 per cent of the normal weekly payment due, to be paid to long-term unemployment assistance recipients, that is claimants who have proved unemployment for not less than 390 days.
In order to qualify for the bonus payment a person must have been entitled to unemployment assistance at the long-term rate during the week beginning on Wednesday, 26 November 1986 and ending on Tuesday, 2 December 1986.
The person concerned claimed unemployment assistance from 9 September 1985. He had drawn 390 days unemployment assistance on 10 December 1986. Accordingly, on 11 December 1986 he became entitled to long-term unemployment assistance of £36.70 weekly. However, he is not entitled to the bonus payment as he was not entitled to long-term unemployment assistance during the week 26 November 1986 to 2 December 1986.
Weekly payments of £36.70 will continue to be made as they become due.
89.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason free fuel vouchers have been refused to a person (details supplied) in County Louth who is a deserted wife.
It is understood from the NorthEastern Health Board, which is responsible for the administration of the national fuel scheme in County Louth, that the application of the person concerned for a fuel allowance has been refused on the grounds that she is not living alone or only with certain excepted persons as required under the conditions of the scheme. It is understood that she lives with a daughter who is gainfully employed.
90.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she is considering a proposal that there will be no rise in social welfare rates in 1987; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
The question of increases in social welfare payments is a matter to be settled in the context of the 1987 budget. No decisions have yet been made by the Government in this regard.
91.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will arrange to transfer a person (details supplied) in County Wexford from disability benefit to an invalidity pension.
Invalidity pension is payable to insured persons who satisfy the contribution conditions and are permanently incapable of work.
The person concerned was examined on 25 November 1986 by a medical referee who did not consider him to be permanently incapable of work. A deciding officer has decided that he is not, therefore, entitled to invalidity pension. He has been notified of this decision and of his right of appeal.