asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is aware of the considerable and widespread delays in payment of national health insurance benefits to persons who have lodged doctors' certificates and completed the necessary form; and, if so, whether he will take steps to ensure that such faults as now exist in the present method of payment will be corrected without delay.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Payment of National Health Benefits.
I am not aware that the position is as stated by the Deputy. If he will let me have particulars of any case in which delay appears to have occurred I shall have the matter examined.
I should like to ask the Minister if there have not been cases brought to his attention on numerous occasions by many Deputies as to the delay in regard to this matter? Will he have the general position investigated quite apart from individual cases?
As far as the general position is concerned, I must say that I have never been able to find anything with which I could find fault. Undoubtedly there are many individual cases where delays occur, but I find on investigation that in practically all cases it is due to some fault for which the Department is not to blame, such as something being wrong with the documents or cards not being stamped. If there is any particular case, I would be very anxious to investigate any case for the Deputy because I should like to see that these cases are dealt with as speedily as possible.