Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 367: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the procedure to be followed in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 24 who was disallowed payment under the jobseeker's allowance scheme due to their employer failing to make the necessary contributions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23658/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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If the person concerned wishes to have the insurability of his previous employment investigated he should contact his local social welfare office.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 368: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if and when payment in respect of an application for rent support will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23659/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Health Service Executive (HSE) has advised that there is no record of an application for rent supplement from the person concerned.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 369: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if and when payment under the back to school clothing and footwear allowance scheme will issue in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23662/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance (BSCFA) scheme operates from the beginning of June until the end of September each year.

The administrative arrangements for the 2011 BSCFA scheme differ from those that applied in previous years. For this year, the majority of BSCFA entitlements were fully automated with no application form required from customers, 127,000 households in respect of over 250,000 children received their payment automatically in June.

Those customers who did not receive an automated payment are required to complete and return an application form to the Department. The timescale for determining applications for Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance claims is dependent on a number of factors including: the number of applications received, when the application is lodged, the availability of the required information such as details of the applicant's income, bank statements and other relevant information regarding an individual's application.

In addition, some aspects of the applications are inevitably time consuming and delays can occur where further investigations or third party evidence is required. Delays can also arise if the applicant is slow to respond to requests for additional information.

Staff are working as quickly as possible on clearing the large volume of manual application claims received. Based on the current volume of applications it could take up to 8 weeks from date of receipt to process claims. Departmental records show that an application form was received from the person concerned on 20th July 2011 and it is expected she will be notified of the outcome of her claim shortly.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 370: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if and when payment will issue in respect of a disability care allowance application in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Meath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23663/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The person concerned applied for disability allowance on 16 December 2010. Her claim was assessed by one of the Department's medical assessors who was of the opinion that she was not medically suitable for disability allowance. A Deciding Officer accepted this opinion.

The person's means, taking account of her spouse's employment were also assessed to exceed the statutory limit of €372.40 for payment of disability allowance having regard to the person's family size. The deciding officer disallowed her claim on two grounds, that she did not satisfy the medical conditions and her means exceeded the limit for receipt of disability allowance. A letter issued to the person on 26 May 2011 advising her of this decision.

Further medical evidence was received on 9 June 2011 which was referred to a medical assessor who again expressed the opinion that the applicant was not medically suitable for disability allowance. A further letter issued to the person concerned on 26 July 2011 advising her of this decision and that her means exceeded the limit.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 371: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the maximum amount of rent support available to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare on back to education allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23664/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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People in full time education are normally excluded from receipt of rent supplement under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme. However, people participating in approved courses under the Back To Education Allowance scheme receive a standard weekly rate of payment equivalent to the maximum rate of their previous social welfare payment and may retain any rent supplement which was in payment prior to the commencement of their education course. Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) is payable to people participating in approved second or third level courses.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) has advised that the person concerned has been awarded rent supplement of €487.33 per month. The HSE has further advised that the rent payable in this case is in excess of the prescribed rent limits and that it has informed the person concerned that he must secure alternative accommodation within these limits by the end of September 2011.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 372: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if and when one-parent family payment will issue in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23665/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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A decision will be made on the one parent family payment claim of the person concerned within the next week.