asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is aware of the grave hardship being caused to applicants by the lengthy delays in the issue of disability benefit payments; and what steps he proposes to take to remedy the situation.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Disability Benefit Payments.
76.
I am not aware that lengthy delays take place in the issue of disability benefit payments, but if the Deputy will furnish me with details of any particular case he may have in mind, I will have inquiries made.
Is the Minister aware that there are delays of up to six weeks not alone in one case but in at least 20 cases I have come across in my constituency? It is a disgrace that married men with large families should have to live on thin air for six weeks until payment is made. I would ask the Minister to consider the problem.
I would not for a moment support unnecessary delay in such cases. On examination, I find that the majority of cases are met very promptly.
The Minister must feel like Chairman Mao.
If the Deputy has even 19 cases, not to mention 20, I should be very glad to look into them if he will give me the particulars because on many occasions there have been complaints in this House about delays and the Deputies concerned would be the first to agree that, on examination, I found that the fault was not with the Department.
Surely the Minister must admit that the fault is at departmental level, for the simple reason that there is too much red tape, and there is a considerable number of people who still do not understand how to fill in the appropriate forms in matters of this kind and they are held up.