Vol. 477 No. 5
267 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a person (details supplied) in Dublin 7, who was in receipt of a carer's allowance, could now be considered for disability benefit in view of the exceptional circumstances in the case. [9833/97]
To qualify for payment of disability benefit a person must satisfy certain conditions. One of the requirements is that the person must have at least 13 paid contributions in the recent contribution year.
According to the records of my Department, the person concerned last paid contributions in the 1982-83 contribution year. She cannot, therefore, be considered for payment of disability benefit.
A person who does not satisfy the contribution conditions for social insurance payments may apply for a social assistance payment where they are in financial need. The relevant schemes in this case would be either supplementary welfare allowance, or, in a case of long-term incapacity for work, disability allowance. A new means tested scheme — sickness allowance — will be introduced in October 1997 to cater for people who do not qualify for disability benefit.
268 Ms F. Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 4, who transferred from a community scheme to the jobs initiative scheme, failed to receive the child dependant allowance for the required 13 weeks. [9836/97]
The person concerned was in receipt of unemployment assistance up to January 1994 when she commenced work on a community employment scheme. She transferred to the job initiative scheme in November 1996.
The social welfare legislation which prevailed at that time provided that continued child payment was payable only to persons who had been in receipt of an unemployment payment immediately before taking up employment.
The legislation has now been amended and persons who take up employment immediately after participation in a community employment scheme are eligible for continued child payment.
The continued child payment may also be paid to eligible customers moving from community employment to job initiative. Arrangements are now being made to have any arrears of continued child payment due paid in this case. The person concerned was in receipt of family income supplement for the period in question and, as this supplement is not payable in the ordinary course until entitlement to continued child payment ceases, the arrears will comprise the difference between the two rates of payment.
269 Mr. M. Ahern asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason levies deducted during period at 18 October 1994 to 19 October 1995, from a person (details supplied) in County Cork were not refunded in view of the fact that he was in receipt of a survivor's pension from 28 October 1994. [9875/97]
The individual to whom the Deputy refers, applied for and was awarded a survivor's pension in May 1996. Entitlement to the pension was backdated to 28 October 1994, when entitlement to survivor's pension was extended to widowers for the first time.
Exemption from payment of the health and employment and training levies was extended to all recipients of survivor's pension with effect from 6 April 1995. Accordingly, the individual in question is entitled to a refund of levies paid after 6 April 1995 but not in respect of levies paid prior to that date.
It is understood from the office of the Revenue Commissioners that part of the refund due in respect of levies paid after 6 April 1995, has been made and that the balance will issue shortly.
270 Mrs. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Social Welfare when it is proposed to introduce the pilot scheme for people with disabilities on the back-to-work allowance scheme as announced in the 1997 budget. [9905/97]
Because of the success of the back to work allowance scheme to date, the Government agreed in this year's budget to increase the number of places to 22,000.
Some 1,000 of these places are being reserved on a pilot basis for people with disabilities to facilitate their integration into mainstream employment. It will be open to people who have been in receipt of disability allowance or blind pension for at least 12 months to apply for the allowance.
