asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he intends to include silicosis as a prescribed disease in respect of the Social Welfare Occupational Injuries Act, 1966.
Written Answers. - Inclusion of Silicosis under Occupational Injuries Act.
331.
For the purposes of the Social Welfare Occupational Injuries Acts medical conditions certified as silicosis are included within the term "pneumoconiosis". As this is a prescribed disease all persons certified for silicosis are regarded as suffering from a prescribed disease.
Injury benefit under the Occupational Injuries Acts is not payable in respect of pneumoconiosis or silicosis. Disablement benefit under these Acts is, however, payable from the commencement of the claim to persons suffering from such complaints instead of after the expiration of 26 weeks from the date of injury or disease as in the case of other occupational injuries or diseases. In addition, all such persons who are incapable of work are entitled to payment of disability benefit under the Social Welfare Acts, concurrently with disablement benefit, from the commencement of the claim provided that they satisfy the contribution conditions for such benefit. Persons who are not qualified for payment of disability benefit are entitled to payment of unemployability supplement, which is at the same rate as disability benefit.
While claimants, suffering from silicosis, receive less by way of disability benefit than they would ordinarily receive as injury benefit during the first 26 weeks of incapacity, the amount of disablement benefit payable in the majority of cases during this period, in addition to disability benefit, more than compensates for the non-payment of injury benefit. In the circumstances it is not proposed to alter the existing provisions relating to silicosis.