Michael Ring
Ceist:446 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs when a six weeks payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo following the death of her husband. [7633/99]
Vol. 502 No. 3
446 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs when a six weeks payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo following the death of her husband. [7633/99]
There are various schemes within the social welfare system to assist families in dealing with death and funeral expenses. These include the payment of six weeks social welfare following the death of certain social welfare recipients or their spouse, the payment of a death grant to insured people and their families and the payment of a funeral grant under the occupational injuries benefit.
447 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9 is due a further week's arrears of unemployment payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7653/99]
The person concerned made a claim for unemployment assistance on 15 February 1999. His claim was authorised for payment and a cheque for £68.40 was issued on 22 February 1999 in respect of the period 15-20 February 1999. There are no outstanding arrears due to the person concerned.
448 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive entitlement to unemployment benefits. [7676/99]
Entitlement to unemployment benefit is subject to the statutory condition that a person must be available for work.
449 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the number of persons aged 65 or older who are in receipt of pensions from his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7716/99]
The information requested by the Deputy is contained in the following table:
Number of recipients, aged 65 years or over, of social welfare pensions, February 1999:
Old Age Contributory Pension* |
71,910 |
Old Age Non-Contributory Pension* |
94,921 |
Retirement Pension |
75,957 |
Widow/er's Contributory Pension |
68,001 |
Widow/er's Non-Contributory Pension |
15,438 |
Invalidity Pension |
3,823 |
Blind Person's Pension |
688 |
Total |
330,738 |
450 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the fact that budgetary increases awarded to people in receipt of payments from his Department are being clawed back by the Eastern Health Board through the supplementary welfare allowance scheme; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that rent supplements are being reduced because of the budgetary increases; the plans, if any, he has for streamlining the supplementary welfare allowance scheme to prevent this clawback; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7736/99]
464 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will change the rules governing rent and mortgage supplement whereby a person switching from pre-retirement allowance to non-contributory old age pension will lose in rent supplement the amount gained as result of the extra payment due on reaching 66 in view of the fact that this extra payment is to take account of extra costs associated with reaching pensionable age; and the cost of making such a concession. [8124/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 450 and 464 together.
Under the supplementary welfare allowance, SWA, a weekly supplement may be paid in respect of rent or mortgage interest to people in receipt of social welfare or health board payments.
451 Mr. Higgins (Dublin West) asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the number of recipients of family income supplement in 1997. [7840/99]
The number of recipients of family income supplement at the end of December 1997 was 12,888. This was payable in respect of 37,223 children.