Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 334: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if his Department will review their decision to refuse a person (details supplied) in County Mayo their claim for jobseeker's allowance for a backdated period. [29456/07]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 335: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if person (details supplied) in County Mayo is in receipt of jobseeker's allowance from a specified date. [29457/07]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 334 and 335 together.

A Deciding Officer awarded the person concerned jobseeker's allowance at the weekly rate of 10 cent from 26 September 2007. She has weekly means of €309.00 derived from benefit of partner's earnings. In practice the Department does not issue payments each week for such small amounts but this award will entitle her to credited pay related social insurance contributions. The person concerned has appealed this decision and her case is currently with the Social Welfare Inspector for review.

The person concerned also made a retrospective jobseeker's allowance application for the period from 23 May 2007 to 8 Aug 2007. A Deciding Officer was not satisfied that the person concerned fulfilled the conditions for receipt of jobseeker's allowance for the period in question and disallowed the application. It is open to the person concerned to appeal this decision and a form for this purpose has issued to her. Under Social Welfare legislation decisions in relation to claims must be made by Deciding Officers and Appeals Officers. These officers are statutorily appointed and I have no role in regard to making such decisions.