Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 26 Mar 1992

Vol. 417 No. 7

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.

John O'Leary

Ceist:

188 Mr. O'Leary asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cork had her application for unemployment benefit rejected on the grounds that she was not genuinely seeking work and that she had made insufficient efforts to get work, particularly in view of the fact that she submitted 14 letters from employers in counties Kerry and Cork saying that they had no employment for her; and if he will make a statement on the matter having regard to the efforts which she is making to obtain employment.

Minister for Social Welfare (Mr. McCreevy)

The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on and from 13 February 1992. A deciding officer, having considered the nature and extent of her efforts to secure employment, disallowed her claim on the grounds that the person was not genuinely seeking work. The person has appealed against this decision and her case is being forwarded to the Social Welfare appeals office for consideration. That office will be in contact with the person concerned as soon as possible about the appeal.

Tony Gregory

Ceist:

189 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Social Welfare if the arrears of unemployment benefit due to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 7 will be paid to her for the period 30 January 1992 to 4 March 1992 in view of the fact that she had to leave suddenly to go to the USA where her sister was critically ill.

Minister for Social Welfare (Mr. McCreevy)

Entitlement to payment of unemployment benefit is subject inter alia, to the condition that the claimant is not absent from the State unless where provided for by regulations. These regulations specify that benefit may only be paid to a claimant who is absent from the State for two purposes: (a) on holiday and in respect of the first two weeks of any such absence in a calendar year, or (b) while representing Ireland in an amateur capacity at an international sporting event.

The person concerned was paid unemployment benefit from 9 December 1991 to 29 January 1992 and made a repeat claim to benefit on 19 March 1992. The person indicated that in the intervening period she was in the United States where her sister was critically ill. I have arranged that this question be accepted as an application on her behalf for payment for the period she was in the United States. The application will be dealt with within the context of the existing regulations.

Richard Bruton

Ceist:

190 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social Welfare if his attention has been drawn to the fact that widows whose husbands died before reaching the age of 66 lose all entitlement to dental benefit; and whether he will make changes that would treat all widows equally in this respect.

Minister for Social Welfare (Mr. McCreevy)

Under present arrangements on the death of a qualified insured person, the surviving spouse continues to be entitled to treatment benefits for so long as the contribution conditions are satisfied by the deceased's insurance.

After a certain period following the death of the insured person has elapsed however, the condition whereby a minimum number of contributions must be paid or credited by the insured person in the contribution year prior to the date of claim, can no longer be fulfilled. The dependent spouse's entitlement to treatment benefit therefore lapses at this point.

However, in the case of a qualified insured person reaching pension age, entitlement to treatment benefits is preserved. This preserved entitlement also extends to the dependent spouse in the event of the pensioner's death.

The extension of cover for treatment benefit to widows in the situation referred to would have financial implications. I would, however, be in favour of making some arrangements for widows in this situation and I will examine the possibilities in this regard.