asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Tipperary Disability Benefit.
91.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 1 October 1979 to 17 November 1979 after which date he was certified by his doctor as fit to resume work. Payment of benefit could not be authorised as his 1978 insurance card, on which entitlement to benefit depended, had not been received in my Department.
Evidence of insurable employment during 1978 was received from the claimant on 1 May 1980 and, although the contributions due had not been paid, special credits were allowed in respect of the weeks of insurable employment. These credits had the effect of qualifying him for benefit. Payment of all disability benefit due, less the amount of supplementary welfare allowance paid during the period of incapacity, was issued to him on 5 May 1980. He has been requested to supply details of his reckonable earnings during the relevant tax year and on receipt of this information his entitlement to pay-related benefit will be examined.