asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay to date in the payment of disabled benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Cork, who submitted the necessary forms on at least three occasions; and when payment will issue.
Written Answers. - Disablement Benefit.
357.
The person concerned claimed disablement benefit under the Occupational Injuries Scheme on 26 September 1979 in respect of accidents which occurred on 7 April 1979 and 19 May 1979. A claim for injury benefit in respect of the accident on 19 May 1979 was then under investigation and interim disability benefit was being paid pending a decision regarding injury benefit.
Injury benefit is payable for a maximum period of 26 weeks from the date of the accident and normally disablement benefit is payable when injury benefit ceases if the insured person is disabled as a result of the occupational accident. One of the qualifying conditions for disablement benefit is that the accident should have arisen out of and in the course of insurable employment. Inquiries in this regard from the employers were necessary. It had been determined in January 1980 in connection with the claim for injury benefit that the accident on 19 May 1979 was an occupational accident. Further inquiries were necessary regarding the accident on 7 April 1979 and the necessary report was received on 29 February 1980. Owing to unavoidable delay, however, in associating the report with the earlier injury benefit claim, it was not determined until 15 May 1980 that the accident on 7 April 1979 was an occupational accident.
Arrangements have been made for an examination of the claimant on 10 June 1980 by a medical referee in order to assess the degree of disablement. A decision on the claim to disablement benefit will then be made and payment of any disablement benefit due will be issued as soon as possible. Any such payment will be in addition to the disability benefit and pay-related benefit currently being paid to him.