Austin Deasy
Ceist:102 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in payment of arrears of deserted wife's benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford; and when payment will issue.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
A payable order for £1,784.50 will be sent to the person concerned within the next 14 days. This sum represents the net amount payable in respect of arrears of deserted wife's benefit after a recoupment of £2,327.30 which was paid to her as portion of her husband's unemployment benefit.
Gay Mitchell
Ceist:103 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will ensure that arrears of unemployment benefit are paid to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 6 about which Deputy Gay Mitchell made representations to Victoria Street Employment Exchange and who is now recommencing work.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 6 September 1990. Her claim was disallowed on the grounds that she was not available for and not genuinely seeking employment. She appealed the decision and her appeal will be heard on Wednesday, 7 November.
Tony Gregory
Ceist:104 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will review the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 7 for unemployment benefit while attending a special course in full-time education at Scoil Íde, Finglas, Dublin 11; if he will outline this person's entitlement; if she is entitled to any assistance; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit from 5 September 1989 to 15 September 1990, that is for a total of 323 days. Provided she satisfies the conditions concerning availability for work she has therefore a current entitlement to a further 67 days before the question of applying for unemployment assistance would arise.
In recent years I have introduced initiatives to allow long term unemployed people who are in receipt of unemployment assistance to participate in educational courses both at second level and at third level. Under the vocational training opportunities scheme participants may attend courses specifically designed for them which enable them to study up to leaving certificate level. While attending the courses participants receive an allowance from the VEC instead of their unemployment payments. I have also made regulations which allow the long term unemployed to take up full-time general second level courses while continuing to receive their unemployment assistance payments.
There is also a pilot scheme in operation this year in which a limited number of places are available to enable the long term unemployed to pursue third level courses while continuing to receive a weekly payment equivalent to their unemployment assistance payments.
All the education initiatives introduced for the unemployed are aimed at those who are regarded as being in the less well off categories i.e. those who are long term unemployed and in receipt of unemployment assistance.
As the person concerned is not in receipt of long term unemployment assistance she is not eligible to participate in the second level scheme.
Ivan Yates
Ceist:105 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Social Welfare if those on unemployment and disability benefit will be included in the double Christmas bonus this year, in view of the fact that some of these payments are at a lower rate than unemployment assistance.
The Government have again approved the payment of a Christmas bonus this year. It will be paid during the first week in December at the same rate as last year i.e. 70 per cent of normal weekly payments. The cost of the bonus this year is £25.6 million, an increase of £1.6 million on last year.
The Christmas bonus payment will be paid to pensioners and other people receiving long term social welfare and health payments including the elderly, widows, lone parents and the long term unemployed. It will also be paid to those receiving the new carer's allowance. In all almost one million people will benefit i.e. 595,000 recipients and their 370,000 dependants.
The bonus will mean that a couple on a full old age (contributory) pension, both aged over 66, will get an extra £75 bringing their payment in the bonus week to £182.20. A couple with five children on long term unemployment assistance will get a bonus of £96.60 bringing their payment that week to £234.60. A lone parent with four children will receive £181.90 which includes a bonus of £74.90.
The bonus was introduced originally for elderly and other pensioners. It was subsequently extended to include the long term unemployed in receipt of unemployment assistance. The long term sick who are in receipt of invalidity pension are also covered.
Disability and unemployment benefit are regarded as short term payments and there are no proposals to extend the Christmas bonus to recipients of those payments.
Bernard Allen
Ceist:106 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason the free electricity allowance and free television licence were withdrawn from a person (details supplied) in Cork who is in receipt of invalidity pension and has nobody in employment in his household.
In order to qualify for a free electricity allowance and a free television licence, a person must be in receipt of one of a number of qualifying payments and reside either alone or only with persons who come within certain excepted categories.
The free electricity allowance of the person concerned was terminated with effect from the October-November 1988 billing period as he did not satisfy the "living alone" condition of the scheme. He is not entitled to a free television licence for the same reason.
A social welfare officer has revisited the person concerned and confirmed that two unemployed adult children reside in the household.
Ceist:
107 Mr. Mitchell asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will confirm that unemployment assistance will be restored to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 12 about whom Deputy Gay Mitchell has been making representations for some time and who has answered all the queries put to him.
Following investigation, the unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed from 18 April 1990 on the grounds that he had failed to show that his means did not exceed the statutory limit for receipt of a qualification certificate. In particular he failed to satisfy the deciding officer regarding the origin of moneys used by him for the purchase and running costs of his car. He appealed against the disallowance and the appeals officer also decided that he had failed to show that his means did not exceed the statutory limit.
He made a further application on 11 September 1990 which has also been disallowed on the same grounds on 30 October 1990. It is again open to him to appeal this decision. In the event of an appeal he would be expected to explain the origin of the moneys used for the purchase and running costs of his car.
John O'Leary
Ceist:108 Mr. O'Leary asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a free fuel allowance will be granted to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry who is in receipt of unemployment assistance; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The national fuel scheme provides for the payment of fuel allowances during the heating season to persons receiving various long term pensions and allowances. The eligible categories include certain persons in receipt of unemployment assistance at the long term rate. Persons receiving short term unemployment assistance or unemployment benefit and other short term benefits and allowances are not qualified for receipt of the allowance.
The conditions for receipt of the fuel allowance also provide that the recipient must be living alone or with dependants in respect of whom increases of the pension or allowances are payable. A person may however also qualify if any other member of the household would otherwise be eligible for the allowance in his or her own right. In addition, in accordance with an extension of the scheme which was introduced for the first time this current fuel season, a person may now qualify if he or she is residing with a person who is in receipt of unemployment assistance at the short term rate.
The person concerned is in receipt of unemployment assistance at the long term rate. However, the person's wife is currently in receipt of unemployment benefit and is not therefore deemed to be a dependant for social welfare purposes or in receipt of one of the social welfare pensions, allowances or assistance referred to. Accordingly, the fuel allowance cannot be granted in this case.