asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will consider extending, if necessary, by the introduction of proposals for legislation, the present prescribed time limit of seven days for appeal under the Old Age Pensions Acts to a longer period to mitigate the hardships this limited period inflicts on the aged and the blind.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Old Age Pensions Act.
I am not aware that the time limit of seven days within which an appeal under the Old Age Pensions Acts must be made inflicts a hardship on the aged and the blind. The Central Pension Authority have power, under existing regulations, to extend the appeal period in certain circumstances to 14 days. The present arrangements have been in operation for a considerable number of years and in practice have been found to work satisfactorily. The matter of the extension of the prescribed period is, however, being noted for consideration when amending regulations are next being framed.
Recently an applicant in my constituency was turned down on the ground that he had not appealed within the seven days and was not allowed any extension. Does the Minister now state it is possible for the Department to extend that date and if so I would like to know why he did not extend it in this particular case?
Is the Minister aware that an applicant on one of the islands off the West Donegal coast received no notification for three weeks, due to the lack of postal service to the island, of his application for an old age pension having been turned down and that he was then too late to appeal; and would he take steps to remedy these defects where islanders are unable to receive postal communications?
The Department has power to extend the period for an additional seven days where that extension is warranted. I am very much surprised that the case mentioned by Deputy O'Donnell could have been turned down if notification was not received for 21 days.
The Minister is aware that there is no authority to extend the time beyond 14 days. Tory Island this year had not a postal service for a period of six weeks and an applicant there could not receive any notification whatever of his application having been turned down. Surely those circumstances were exceptional?