asked the Minister for Social Welfare if, in view of the many complaints regarding delays in the payment of disability benefit, there are any plans in his Department to facilitate the issue of cheques from local employment exchanges.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Disability Benefit.
18.
It is not proposed to after the existing arrangements for the payment of disability benefit under the Social Welfare Acts. Under these arrangements the long-term claimants, approximately half the total number, receive their benefit cheques on the same day each week in advance while the remainder receive payment on submission of medical evidence of incapacity. In the normal course the benefit cheque is issued on the date of receipt of the medical certificate or on the following day.
As a general rule, the issue of cheques from local employment exchanges would not improve the service at present being provided from a central office for the country as a whole. With centralised administration the most modern office equipment and up-to-date techniques can be utilised to the maximum advantage in the issue of benefit payments.
In this connection I may mention that the whole question of the organisation, procedures and working methods of my Department is at present under review.
I am concerned with the first payment. In view of the fact that delays of up to five, six and seven weeks have now become commonplace in the payment of disability benefit and in view of the fact that there is greater difficulty in remote country areas or areas far removed from Dublin — delays in the Dublin area can be picked up over the weekend — can the Parliamentary Secretary see any way in which the situation in the country can be got around? These delays of five, six and seven weeks at the beginning are definitely causing a problem. Can the Parliamentary Secretary see any way of speeding up payment in these cases?
As I said in my reply, the vast majority of these payments are made regularly. I accept, however, the Deputy's point in relation to a small percentage of cases. I agree with the Deputy there have been delays in some of these payments. This is a matter about which I am concerned. It is one of the matters we have in mind in the last paragraph of my reply in which I said "that the whole question of the organisation, procedure and working methods of my Department is at present under review". The matter is being examined, hopefully, to try to eliminate any delays in payment.
I have pointed out that the problem seems to exist at the first payment level.
The Deputy is repeating himself. He has already made that point.
Can something be done to help out where the first payment is concerned? What is the reason for the delay of five, six and seven weeks?
No money.
Why is there such a delay? Is it that the Parliamentary Secretary does not have the money? Is the last shilling nearly gone?
The Deputy started in a serious vein and I thought he was genuinely concerned about these people. Now I realise he is concerned only with making political points.
A Cheann Comhairle, I beg the opportunity of refuting that allegation of the Parliamentary Secretary's.
I am calling Question No. 19.
If the Parliamentary Secretary were working in a rural constituency he would be worried about these people.
I shall be working in a rural constituency very shortly.
19.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be issued to a person (name supplied) in County Meath who has submitted four medical certificates for the period 27th July to 12th August, 1974.
The person referred to by the Deputy in his question was not qualified for payment of disability benefit at the date of his claim as he had not sufficient contributions in the contribution year governing his claim. However, as a result of investigations by my Department additional contributions were subsequently collected which gave him a title to payment and all benefit due has now issued to him.