Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 February 2009
191 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will ensure that a community service (details supplied) in Dublin 17 will receive the full grant aid requested for 2009 under the grants for the development of information and welfare rights; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4075/09]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Social and Family Affairs has supported the organisation in question over a period of many years. An application for funding under the "Grants for the Development and Promotion of Information and Welfare Rights" scheme in respect of 2009 has been received and is currently being considered having regard to the current budgetary circumstances. A decision will be made shortly in this regard.
192 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if a review of social welfare calculations will be undertaken in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4130/09]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned is in receipt of jobseeker's allowance, in respect of himself, his spouse and 2 dependent children, plus a fuel allowance at this time. There is a weekly deduction of €10.00 being made to recover an overpayment.
The overpayment being recovered accrued in the period 9 November 2006 to 28 December 2006 when the person concerned was concurrently working and claiming Jobseeker's Allowance. The total amount overpaid was €2,217.37 of which €1,753.80 is still outstanding.
193 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the full extent of all pension contributions and entitlement including self employment and PAYE in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4131/09]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned is in receipt of a partial State Pension (Contributory), payable at 50% of the maximum rate, having first paid social insurance contributions prior to 1953, and having at least 260 full-rate contributions paid. There are no self-employed contributions recorded in respect of the person concerned.
I have today arranged for a copy of this individual's full contribution history record to be issued to the Deputy, as requested.
194 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when traditional unemployment allowance or benefit will be granted to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4132/09]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned is a part-time fireman. He made an application for Jobseeker's Benefit on 8 December 2008. Following a full investigation, the application was disallowed by a Deciding Officer on the grounds that he failed to establish that he was genuinely seeking employment. Notification of the disallowance and of his right to appeal issued on 17 December 08. No appeal has been received to date.
It is not sufficient for an unemployed person to hold him/herself available only for employment within a restricted distance or for a particular type of work. Such action would be taken as placing an unreasonable restriction on his efforts to secure employment.
The person concerned has not demonstrated that he is genuinely seeking employment as required under social welfare legislation.
195 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if a person (details supplied) in County Kildare on one-parent family allowance and in receipt of rent support will qualify for CE or other schemes while retaining their rent support; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4133/09]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is taken that the Deputy is referring to CE (Community Employment). The person concerned is in receipt of One Parent Family Payment (OPFP) from 28 February 2008 and Rent Allowance from January 2008.
Earnings from CE are assessable as means and, therefore, her entitlement to both OPFP and Rent Allowance would need to be re-examined on commencement of employment.
In the absence of details of "other schemes" which the person may be interested in it is not possible to give details as rent support can vary from scheme to scheme.
However, if she wishes to seek further information on this area she should contact the Facilitator at Ballyfermot Local Office.
196 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if a free travel card to accompany their son will issue in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare whose child has special needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4135/09]
Amharc ar fhreagraAccording to the records of the Department, neither the person concerned nor her son has made an application for the Free Travel scheme. An application form has now issued to both her and her son as a result of this representation.
On receipt of the completed application forms, decisions will be made and they will be notified of the outcome.
197 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when social welfare payment entitlement arrears will be granted in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4136/09]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Family Income Supplement (FIS) is designed to provide support for people with families who are on low earnings. This preserves the incentive for them to remain in employment in circumstances where they might only be marginally better off than if they were claiming other social welfare payments.
The person concerned made a claim for FIS in December 2008. The claim was awarded from 18/12/2008 at a rate of €203 per week and first payment issued on 22nd Jan 2009. Arrears of FIS were due from 18/12/2008 to 21/1/ 2009. However, as the person concerned had been paid Supplementary Welfare Allowance for that period, the arrears were paid to the HSE to offset the payments made.
198 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the position in regard to an appeal against the decision to refuse rent support in the case of persons (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4137/09]
Amharc ar fhreagraRent supplement is administered on behalf of the department by the Health Service Executive as part of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme.
The position remains as advised in question number 130 which I answered for the Deputy on 29 January 2009. The person concerned has been refused rent supplement as total household income is deemed to be sufficient to meet his accommodation costs. He has recently appealed against this decision to the HSE Appeals Office. He will be contacted directly by that office when a decision has been made on his appeal.
