department of social and family affairs annual report 2006 - Welfare.ie

and Safety Benefit will only be payable where the
weekly income of the spouse or partner of the
claimant does not exceed a prescribed amount.
These Regulations provide for increasing that
amount to €400 per week.
These Regulations also provide for the disregard
of €200 per week in earnings from employment
when calculating means for the purposes of the
State Pension (Non-Contributory).
S.I. No. 693 of 2006
SOCIAL WELFARE (RENT ALLOWANCE)
(AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS 2006
These Regulations provide for increases in the
amount of means disregarded for people affected
by the decontrol of rents and the minimum rent
for the purposes of the Rent Allowance scheme
with effect from January 2007.
S.I. No. 694 of 2006
SOCIAL WELFARE (OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES)
(AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS 2006
The Social Welfare Act 2006 provides for increases
in the maximum rates of benefits payable under
the Occupational Injuries Benefits Scheme arising
from the Budget. These Regulations provide for
increases in the reduced rates of the following
Occupational Injuries benefits:
• in respect of Disablement Gratuities
appropriate to degrees of disablement assessed
at 19% or less with effect from 1 January 2007,
• in respect of Disablement Pension payable
in lieu of such Gratuities, with effect from 5
January 2007, and
• in respect of Injury Benefit payable to persons
under the age of sixteen with effect from 1
January 2007.
S.I. No. 695 of 2006
SOCIAL WELFARE (OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES)
(AMENDMENT) (No. 1) (MISCELLANEOUS
PROVISIONS) REGULATIONS 2006
These Regulations amend the Regulations which
govern the Occupational Injury Benefit Scheme, in
advance of consolidation of Occupational Injury
Benefit Regulations dating from 1967.
Article 3 contains a number of amendments
to the Social Welfare (Claims and Payments)
Regulations 1952 (S.I. 374 of 1952), including
provision for:
• prescribing a 3 month time limit for making a
claim to Death Benefit commencing on the date
of death of the insured person, and a 6 week
time limit in the case of Medical Care with
effect from the commencement of such care,
• the nomination of another person to receive
payment of benefit on behalf of a claimant
or beneficiary subject to the consent of the
Minister. This consent may be withdrawn by the
Minister in circumstances deemed appropriate
by him or her,
• a book of payable orders being furnished to the
claimant on production of evidence as to the
claimant’s identity but such book of payable
orders will continue to be the property of the
Minister. This book must be returned at the
request of an officer of the Minister to such
person as maybe directed,
• any right to benefit being extinguished after 6
months if the payment is not encashed within
this period. A Deciding Officer or an Appeals
Officer may extend this period where they
deem it appropriate to do so,
• the continuation of payment of certain benefits
while the claimant is absent from the State,
• exception from disqualification where a person
is detained in legal custody, and
• the circumstances in which payment of benefit
is suspended during detention in legal custody.
Article 4 provides a number of amendments
to the Social Welfare (Occupational Injuries)
Regulations 1967 (S.I. No. 77 of 1967) including
provision for :
• outlining the conditions under which a person
is deemed to be incapable of work,
• disqualification of Injury Benefit or an increase
of Disablement Benefit by way of Incapacity
Supplement for a period not exceeding 9 weeks
if the person fails to:
(a) comply with instructions relating to their
incapacity issued by a medical practitioner on
attendance for medical or other examination
without good cause,
annual report 2006
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