asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position regarding the claim for disability benefit made by a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
90.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 23 February 1985. Payment of benefit was issued up to 17 February 1987 when, because of an administrative error, payment was discontinued. The matter has since been rectified and all disability benefit payable to 10 March 1987 the date of the latest medical certificate received has been issued. Any inconvenience caused to the person concerned is regretted.
91.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the reduction in the rate of invalidity pension being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned is at present in receipt of £88.15 per week, that is £47.10 personal rate, an increase of £30.60 in respect of his wife as adult dependant and an increase of £10.45 in respect of one qualified child. With the introduction of the equality provisions for social welfare recipients the pension of the person concerned was reduced as the information available indicated that his wife was earning in excess of £50 per week.
He appealed against this decision and forwarded statements from her employer stating that she was in receipt of less than £50 per week. The adult dependant allowance was therefore restored to the person concerned with effect from 20 November 1986. A pension order book payable from 29 January 1987 was issued to the designated post office of payment. Arrears of pension due in respect of the period 20 November 1986 to 28 January 1987 will be issued by payable order on 27 March 1987.
92.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in the payment of unemployment benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Offaly.
In order to qualify for unemployment benefit a claimant is required to satisfy the statutory condition of being available for employment. The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit from 30 January 1986 and her claim was disallowed by a deciding officer on the grounds that she was not available for employment. She appealed against the disallowance and she attended an oral hearing of her case on 8 September 1986. The appeals officer also decided that she was not available for employment.
She continued to sign the unemployed register after the date of the appeals officer's decision. Further inquiries were recently initiated to establish if she now satisfies the required conditions for receipt of unemployment benefit. These inquiries will be completed shortly and her entitlement to unemployment benefit will then be determined.
93.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the plans, if any, he has to introduce dental benefit for the wives of insured persons and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The Government's Programme for National Recovery includes a commitment to extend dental, optical and aural benefits under the social insurance system to the spouses of insured workers. The arrangements for giving effect to this commitment will be announced in due course.