Michael Ring
Ceist:191 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the plans he has to increase the bereavement grant. [29086/00]
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
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 bereavement grant to insured people and their families and the payment of a funeral grant under the occupational injuries benefit.
Since this Government came into office, I have introduced a number of important changes to improve these arrangements. These include an enhanced bereavement grant of £500 in 1999, and the extension of the scope of this grant; the introduction of a once-off payment of £1,000 payable to widows and widowers with dependent children who qualify for a widows/widowers contributory pension, one-parent family payment or a bereavement grant in budget 2000; and a number of additional measures in this year's Social Welfare Act to address the position where the six weeks after death payment was not made or was paid at a reduced amount.
Any further developments in the bereavement grant will be considered in the context of future budgets and available resources.
Michael Ring
Ceist:192 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will consider increasing the living alone allowance in view of the fact it has been fixed at the rate of £6 for some time and its value is decreasing with the rate of inflation. [29088/00]
The living alone allowance is an additional payment to people aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of certain social welfare type payments and who reside alone.
In the review of An Action Programme for the Millennium, the Government reaffirmed its commitment to caring for our older people by advancing the goal of bringing the old age contributory pension to £100 per week and by extending the £100 commitment to all social welfare old age pensioners by 2002. In budget 2001 further significant progress was made towards achieving this goal following significant increases in social welfare pension rates. With effect from the first week in April 2001, the personal rate of old age contributory pension will be increased to £106 per week. The equivalent rate for old age non-contributory pension will be increased to £95.50 per week.
This represents an overall increase of £28 per week for both schemes since this Government took office.
These measures reflect the emphasis I have placed on improving the personal pension rates of our older people which I believe is the most effective and equitable way of ensuring that their position is improved.
Bernard J. Durkan
Ceist:193 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the reason incorrect information has been used to terminate the one parent family allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; the further reason the Department of Social Community and Family Affairs misrepresented the applicant's housing application, a confidential document, to Kildare County Council in a selective way to substantiate departmental decisions; if his attention has been drawn to court proceedings, the effect of which is that the applicant could not be co-habiting; if one parent family allowance will be restored forthwith; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29162/00]
Payment of one-parent family allowance has not been withdrawn in this case. The continuing entitlement of the person concerned is, however, under review in the light of evidence suggesting that she and another person are living together as man and wife. The matter will be determined by a statutorily appointed deciding officer in the light of all the facts and also in the light of any evidence which the person concerned submits in support of her case.
The position is that during a routine review of her claim in October 2000, the person concerned informed a local officer of the Department that she had applied for housing to Kildare County Council jointly with the putative father of her child. This officer also obtained during the course of this investigation information which indicated that she and another person were living together as man and wife. As the Deputy will appreciate cohabitation as man and wife would disqualify her for one-parent family payment under the conditions applicable to the scheme.
I am satisfied that the proper procedures were applied during the course of this investigation. The person concerned was advised of the evidence available to the Department on 27 November 2000 and was given the opportunity to submit, within 21 days, any information she wished before a decision is taken on her claim.
On receipt of her response, or on the expiry of the 21 days allowed for reply, a decision will be made on her continued entitlement to one-parent family payment and she will be notified of the outcome.
Payment will continue until the review process is completed and a decision on her continuing entitlement is given.
Bernard J. Durkan
Ceist:194 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the way in which it is being concluded that a person (details supplied) in County Kildare submitted insufficient or incorrect information when in fact all information required was supplied by the person, but not acted upon by the Department; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the person has not been in receipt of payment since March 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29166/00]
On 24 May 2000, the one-parent family payment payable order book for the person concerned was received in the Department, with a covering letter stating that she had recently taken up employment.
The person concerned has not yet responded to a request by the Department in July 2000 for details of her previous earning levels. According to the Department's earnings records her gross weekly income has been in excess of the statutory income limit of £230.76 for one-parent family payment in each of the tax years since she commenced employment.
The Department requested a statement from the employer of the person concerned confirming her date of commencement of employment and her gross weekly income. Her employer responded in July 2000, confirming that the person concerned had commenced employment on 9 September 1997 and stating her current gross income.
The Department wrote to the person concerned on 23 November 2000, outlining the information available and affording her the opportunity within 21 days to provide any information she wished to be taken in account before a decision is taken on her entitlement. As soon as a response is received from her, or at the expiry of the 21 days, a decision will be made on her claim and she be notified of the outcome.