Paul Kehoe
Ceist:109 Mr. Kehoe asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs her views on the way in which widows have fared under the social welfare system; and her plans to improve the situation. [13523/03]
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
The Government is committed to bringing the maximum rate of the widow's and widower's contributory pension for those over 66 years of age into line with that of the old age contributory pension. A number of special increases have been granted in recent budgets in pursuit of this objective and the maximum rate now stands €155.80 per week, against a rate of €157.30 for the old age contributory pension. Widows and widowers are also benefiting from the changes in the free schemes announced over a number of budgets. Under these arrangements, all persons aged over 70 years of age are now entitled to the full range of schemes, regardless of their means or household composition.
In budget 2000, a new scheme was introduced, the widowed parent grant, to help with the special needs of this particular group in the immediate aftermath of a bereavement. This involves the payment of a special grant of €2,500 to a widow/er with dependent children. The increase in the rates of child benefit are of benefit to widows and widowers with children. Since 1997, the monthly rates of child benefit have been increased dramatically. Since April this year, monthly child benefit payments are € 125.60 per month for each of the first and second children and €157.30 per month for the third and subsequent children.
In addition, there are special arrangements in place whereby a person in receipt of a widow or widower's pension or one-parent family payment may also receive half-rate disability benefit or unemployment benefit in addition to their pension. This provision applies where the person satisfies the relevant contribution conditions and dual payment can continue for up to 15 months. Social welfare provision for widows and widowers will be kept under review and further improvements will be considered in a budgetary context.
Question No. 110 answered with Question No. 105.
Dan Boyle
Ceist:111 Mr. Boyle asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reasons workers at a company (details supplied) in County Cork shut out from employment by the employers were not considered for social welfare payments; and the reason that refusal was maintained. [13503/03]
Social welfare legislation provides that a person who has lost his or her employment by reason of a stoppage of work which was due to a trade dispute at his or her place of employment is disqualified from receipt of unemployment benefit or assistance other than in certain defined circumstances. In relation to the dispute in question, following a decision by a deciding officer in a test case, all of the employees who are participating in or directly interested in the dispute are disqualified from receipt of unemployment payments for as long as the stoppage continues. Where a person is dissatisfied with a decision made by a deciding officer to refuse him or her an unemployment payment, the decision may be appealed to the social welfare appeals office. The decision in this case was appealed to the social welfare appeals office. The appeal was heard on the 14 May 2003 and the appeals officer's decision is expected shortly.
Where a person is disqualified on the grounds of his or her involvement in a trade dispute and feels that he or she has been unreasonably deprived of employment because his or her employer refused or failed to follow the negotiating machinery available for settling disputes, he or she may apply to the Social Welfare Tribunal for an adjudication. Where the tribunal decides that an applicant was unreasonably deprived of employment by his or her employer, he or she is entitled to an unemployment payment for the period of the trade dispute subject to satisfying the other qualifying conditions for receipt of payment. The trade union representing the employees concerned had applied to the Social Welfare Tribunal for an adjudication in this case. This application will proceed in the event that the appeal is disallowed.
Persons involved in a trade dispute are not entitled to receive supplementary welfare allowance for the duration of the dispute. Supplementary welfare allowance is, however, payable, subject to a means test, to any adult or child dependant of a person involved in such a dispute.
Question No. 112 answered with Question No. 105.