Michael Moynihan
Ceist:159 Mr. Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will outline the grounds on which a person (details supplied) in County Kerry was refused a transfer from a prescribed relative allowance to a carer's allowance.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
A carer's allowance is only payable to carers on low income who are living with and looking after a social welfare pensioner who needs full-time care and attention. In this instance, the prescribed relative allowance of the person concerned was transferred to her son in the form of a carer's allowance with effect from 8 November 1990. The person herself who is receiving full-time care and attention is not entitled to a carer's allowance in her own right.
Ned O'Keeffe
Ceist:160 Mr. E. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a free fuel allowance was refused in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
My Department have no record of receiving an application for free fuel allowance from the person concerned. As the person concerned is in receipt of disabled person's maintenance allowance, he should apply to his local health board for this allowance.
Ned O'Keeffe
Ceist:161 Mr. E. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Social Welfare when arrears of old age pension will be awarded to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
A payable order covering arrears of £374.14 in respect of the period from 16 November 1990 to 9 February 1991 issued to the person concerned on 19 March 1991.
Ned O'Keeffe
Ceist:162 Mr. E. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to have the case of a person (details supplied) in County Cork investigated to establish that she is living alone.
The case of the person concerned has now been referred to the social welfare officer for a full investigation of her circumstances. On completion of the necessary inquiries, her case will be referred to a deciding officer for decision. She will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible.
Michael Moynihan
Ceist:163 Mr. Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether his Department have an obligation to give written notification to claimants, on termination of unemployment benefit-assistance payments, that they have an opportunity to continue to sign for credit.
All unemployed persons who have exhausted their entitlement to benefit and are not entitled to unemployment assistance or, whose assistance claims are disallowed, are advised orally and by information leaflet that, subject to their continuing to satisfy the statutory conditions of being capable of, available for and genuinely seeking work, they may continue to sign the unemployed register for the purpose of obtaining credited contributions. Postal claimants are advised by letter of the position.
John Ellis
Ceist:164 Mr. Ellis asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will again review the position in connection with the free telephone rental and living alone allowance applications of a person (details supplied) in County Leitrim.
In order to qualify for free telephone rental allowance a person must be in receipt of a qualifying payment and be living either entirely alone or only with certain excepted categories of people. The free telephone rental allowance and the living alone allowance of the person concerned were terminated on 12 February 1991 because she no longer satisfied the living alone condition of the scheme. Application forms for both allowances have been issued to the person concerned and on return her position will be reviewed.
John Ellis
Ceist:165 Mr. Ellis asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will now award a free fuel allowance to a person (details supplied) in County Leitrim.
In order to qualify for a free fuel allowance a person must satisfy certain conditions. One of these conditions requires that a claimant's means other than his social welfare pension cannot exceed £5 per week. Another condition requires that the applicant should be unable to provide for his-her own heating needs.
As the person concerned is in receipt of income exceeding £5 per week from the letting of land, and also has access to his own turf supply, he is not entitled to a free fuel allowance.
Jim Higgins
Ceist:166 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in processing the unemployment assistance appeal of a person (details supplied) in County Sligo.
The person concerned has appealed against the decision to award him unemployment assistance at the rate of £7.50 per week. The case was referred to a social welfare officer for further investigation and it has now been passed to the independent social welfare appeals office for an early decision.
Jim Higgins
Ceist:167 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in processing the unemployment assistance claim of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo.
The person concerned has been assessed with means of £20 per week from 24 October 1990 and is, consequently, entitled to unemployment assistance at the rate of £25 per week.
Arrangements are being made to have arrears due, less a refund to the health board in respect of supplementary welfare allowance paid, paid to the person as soon as possible.
The delay in approving payment of this claim arose out of the failure of the person concerned to disclose his means when his claim was initially investigated and the necessity for the social welfare officer to conduct a further interview in connection with his appeal.