Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 9 Jun 1992

Vol. 420 No. 9

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.

Jim Mitchell

Ceist:

201 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for Social Welfare if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a person (details supplied) in Dublin 8 applied for unemployment benefit on 2 December 1991 and has been awaiting a decision on her entitlement to benefit since that date, and having supplied all the necessary information about her contributions and credits, has still not been informed whether or not she is entitled to unemployment benefit; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that in the meantime, because of her parents' means, she is being paid only £11.30 per week unemployment assistance; if he is now in a position to decide that (a) she is entitled to unemployment benefit, (b) the amount she will now be paid, (c) the amount of arrears due to her and (d) when it will be paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Social Welfare (Mr. McCreevy)

Entitlement to Unemployment Benefit is subject to the condition inter alia, that a person must have at least 39 contributions paid at the appropriate rate since entry into insurance. According to the Department's records the person concerned has only 26 contributions paid at the appropriate rate to provide cover for Unemployment Benefit since she entered insurance in June 1989. She is not entitled, therefore, to Unemployment Benefit in respect of her claim made on 3 December 1991. Due to an oversight at the Department's Local Office she was not notified that her claim was disallowed. This is regretted. Arrangements are now being made to issue her with a formal notification of the disallowance.

She also made an application for Unemployment Assistance on 3 December 1991. Following investigation a deciding officer assessed her means at £38.62 a week derived from the value of board and lodgings in her parents' home. Accordingly this leaves her entitled to payment of Unemployment Assistance at the weekly rate of £11.30. Further weekly payments will continue to be made to her as they fall due.

As it appears from the Deputy's question that the person concerned is dissatisfied with the decision given by a deciding officer in relation to her claim for Unemployment Assistance, I am arranging to have the question accepted as an application to appeal.

Jim Mitchell

Ceist:

202 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will outline the contribution and credit record of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 10; if he will confirm that an application for disability benefit was received from the person concerned; whether disability benefit will be paid in this case, and if so, the date from which it will be paid.

Minister for Social Welfare (Mr. McCreevy)

The person concerned made a claim to Disability Benefit on 2 April 1992.

To qualify for Disability Benefit a claimant is required to have 39 reckonable social insurance contributions or credits in the governing contribution year, which in this case is the year from 6 April 1990 to 5 April 1991.

According to the Department's records the claimant has a total of 340 contributions and credits recorded for the period 1965 to 1974. There are no more contributions or credits recorded until the year 6 April 1990 to 5 April 1991, for which a total of 44 contributions at class J1 are recorded. This class of insurance (J1) is not reckonable for Disability Benefit.

Regrettably, therefore, the claimant does not qualify for Disability Benefit.