asked the Minister for Social Welfare the arrangements, if any, he has made to alleviate distress among recipients of disability benefit who cannot get certificates signed due to the junior hospital doctors dispute.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Disability Benefit Claimants.
8.
There is no evidence that insured persons have experienced any difficulty in the matter of claiming disability benefit as a result of the junior hospital doctors dispute. The question of distress does not, therefore, arise but if it should become clear at any time that difficulties are arising my Department will make all necessary arrangements to inform the public as to the steps to be taken to obtain benefit.
Arising from the Parliamentary Secretary's reply, is he telling us that he has no records in his Department of people who were refused certificates on their claims for disability?
As I explained in the reply to the question, there is no evidence that any difficulty has been experienced.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that people claiming disability benefit have gone to the hospitals where disputes exist and have been told to see their own private medical practitioners? It has cost them £1 to get a certificate.
Is the Deputy talking about in-patients or out-patients?
Both are involved.
As far as in-patients are concerned there is no problem.
What about the out-patients?
There is no evidence that any difficulty has been experienced.
I am surprised at that answer. There is not a public representative in the country at the moment who has not been asked about this question.
May I ask the Parliamentary Secretary whether he recalls last week Deputy O'Connell asking the Minister for Social Welfare if he would endeavour to work out some arrangements which would prevent this problem? The Minister agreed he would make that effort. Unquestionably, the problem exists.
The Deputy is making a statement rather than asking a supplementary question.
I would like to make a correction. The Minister admitted no such thing, in so far as the problem does not exist. I am aware that Deputy O'Malley, since this difficulty arose, has done everything possible to aggravate it.
That is not answering the question.
The Deputy created a problem where none existed in a very difficult and delicate situation. He should be more responsible.
People go to out-patient departments where they would normally get their certificates signed. These out-patient departments are either not functioning or hardly functioning. The people cannot get their certificates signed. They have to go to their private doctors and pay for the certificates.
There is no evidence to support that allegation. On the contrary, all the evidence indicates that no difficulty is being experienced. However, I assure the House that in the event of any difficulty arising it will be dealt with in such a way as to ensure that benefits are made available.