Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 20 Apr 1999

Vol. 503 No. 3

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.

Brendan Howlin

Ceist:

438 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if it is the case that in relation to the unemployment assistance claim of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford who has no income from any source, a reduced rate is being paid on the grounds that the applicant previously had earnings from use of a tractor and trailer; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this tractor and trailer cannot currently be used in view of the fact it is uninsured owing to the claimant's inability to meet insurance premiums; if his unemployment assistance claim will be reviewed as a matter of urgency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10276/99]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern)

The person concerned is in receipt of unemployment assistance since 1982. Since 1996 he is assessed with £42 per week means derived from his net earnings as a self-employed refuse collector. This assessment was, at the time, upheld on appeal by the independent social welfare appeals office.

During a recent review of his circumstances the person concerned was afforded an opportunity to demonstrate that his means had reduced but he failed to produce any evidence to this effect.

Consequently there were no grounds to revise the means assessment and the person concerned was notified accordingly. This decision has not been appealed to date.

In the light of the information supplied by the Deputy the circumstances of the person concerned will be reviewed again.

Jim O'Keeffe

Ceist:

439 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the number of children in each age cohort for whom back to school clothing and footwear allowance payments are being made. [10296/99]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern)

The back to school clothing and footwear allowance scheme is adminis tered on behalf of my Department by the health boards. The scheme is designed to assist certain recipients of social welfare and health board payments with the cost of children's school uniforms and footwear. Certain people on low incomes who are in receipt of family income supplement may also qualify for assistance.

In order to qualify for the allowance, the claim must be in respect of a qualified child, the applicant must be in receipt of a qualifying payment and they must satisfy a specified means test. A qualified child is one who falls into one of the age groups specified for the scheme and in respect of whom a child dependant allowance is payable.

Under the scheme an allowance of £43 is payable in respect of qualified children from two to 11 years and an allowance of £58 is payable in respect of qualified children from 12 to 22 years.

In 1998, expenditure on back to school clothing and footwear allowance amounted to £10 million in respect of 209,300 children. The number of children in each age cohort was as follows: 11 years, 119,000; 12-17 years, 82,900; 18 to 22 years, 7,300

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

440 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs his views on the special position of carers who are also lone parents and the particular difficulties and financial strains this family set-up places on a carer; the assistance available to these families; if he will intervene in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11 who has recently lost £30 per week from her social welfare payment. [10298/99]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern)

The person concerned was, until recently, in receipt of (half rate) unemployment benefit of £30.30 per week in addition to her one-parent family payment of £85.70 per week. However, she has exhausted her entitlement to unemployment benefit and that payment ceased with effect from the 2 April.

The one-parent family payment was introduced in January 1997 and is designed as an income support mechanism to take into account the special needs and requirements of persons parenting alone. A particular feature of the scheme is the means test which allows a lone parent earn up to £115.38 per week and still receive a full payment. The means test which applies to one-parent family payment is very favourable and, in the circumstances, it would be difficult to justify further improvements which would be specifically aimed at lone parents.