asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state why a blind pension has been refused to Michael Scanlon, Cloghan, on medical grounds, although a qualified oculist certifies that one eye is completely blind and that there is only one-sixth of normal vision in the other eye.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Blind Pension Claims.
The evidence before me showed that the ability of the claimant to work had not been impaired by any defect of vision. The claimant did not accordingly fulfil the statutory condition as to blindness.
I did not quite get the end of the Parliamentary Secretary's reply, or indeed any part of it.
The evidence before me showed that the ability of the claimant to work had not been impaired by any defect of vision. The claimant did not accordingly fulfil the statutory condition as to blindness.
Arising out of that reply, I want to ask the Parliamentary Secretary if he is seriously suggesting to the House that when a man has one eye completely blind and has only one-sixth of the normal vision in the other eye that he does not come within the provisions of the Old Age Pensions Acts? Surely the Parliamentary Secretary must have an opinion of his own on that?
The Deputy is not accurately informed as to the degree of defective sight in this case. The certificate says that the defective sight is one-fourth in the good eye and not one-sixth. From the information at the disposal of the Department it appears that the claimant is, in fact, following his normal occupation.
Might I inform the Parliamentary Secretary that I myself saw the medical certificate which stated that with the assistance of glasses some improvement can be made? There is no reference to spectacles in the relevant statutes. In addition to that, I want to ask is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the applicant is a small farmer who derives a large part of his income from labouring on other farmers' land and can he seriously suggest that a man blind in one eye and with one-sixth, or even one-fourth, defective vision in the other is fit to earn a living working on a small farm in the west of Donegal?
asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state what steps are being taken to adjudicate appeals on blind pensions in County Donegal; and how many such appeals are awaiting decision.
I would refer the Deputy to the reply given him on the 7th June last regarding the position of blind pension appeals in this county. In addition to the two tours of inspection in the county referred to in that reply, 96 claimants have since been examined in the county by the Department's Medical Inspector. It is expected that about one-half of the outstanding cases will be decided at an early date on similar reports.
Arising out of the Parliamentary Secretary's reply, might I ask if he has overlooked the latter part of my question—how many such appeals are awaiting decision in blind pension cases?
The number is 195.
That is in one county?
Yes.