Vol. 407 No. 2
67 Mr. Garland asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the reduction in the unemployment benefit paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; whether this person's entitlement to benefit should be assessed independent of his spouse's income from a British retirement pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The social welfare legislation on the assessment of means for unemployment assistance provides that all income which an applicant or his/her spouse may reasonably expect to receive during the succeeding year be assessed, apart from certain specified exclusions. Among the exclusions are short term benefit or assistance payments under the Social Welfare Acts to a claimant's spouse. Long-term assistance or benefit payments such as a pension would be assessed. As all foreign welfare payments, whether they be long term or short term, received by spouses of applicants are not excluded, the British retirement pension received by the wife of the person concerned has to be assessed as means.
His claim was reviewed in March 1990 and his means were assessed by a deciding officer at £71.90 per week with effect from 11 April 1990. He appealed the decision and the appeals officer reduced the assessment to £68.10 per week from 11 April 1990. Following this, he was paid at the weekly rate of £7.90 from 11 April 1990 increased to £14.90 in July. He continued to be paid on this basis up to 4 December 1990 when he commenced work on a social employment scheme.
68 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of persons in receipt of disability benefit in the Cork city area.
There were 4,262 people in receipt of disability benefit in Cork city as of 31 March 1991.
69 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Social Welfare the numbers of persons in receipt of invalidity pension in Cork city area.
There were 5,090 people in receipt of invalidity pension in County Cork as of 31 December 1990. A separate breakdown for Cork city is not available.
70 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will outline the number of people drawing unemployment benefit and unemployment assistance in Cork city at the end of (a) March 1990 and (b) March 1991.
The information requested by the Deputy is given in the table below:
|
Number of Recipients |
||
|
Scheme |
March 1990 |
March 1991 |
|
Unemployment Benefit |
3,658 |
4,039 |
|
Unemployment Assistance |
8,398 |
9,273 |
71 Mr. Flanagan asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a decision will be made on the old age pension claim of a person (details supplied) in County Offaly.
A deciding officer has decided that the person concerned is not entitled to an old age non-contributory pension as he has not fully disclosed his means.
The person concerned lodged an appeal against this decision on 20 March 1991. The social welfare appeals office is in the process of assessing the information supplied by the appellant. As soon as his appeal has been decided, the person concerned will be notified of the result without delay by the appeals office.
