asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will authorise local social welfare officers to issue qualification certificates for disability and unemployment benefit applicants.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
486.
A qualification certificate is a certificate of the amount of means of a person for the purpose of claiming unemployment assistance. The question of qualification certificates does not arise in the case of disability or unemployment benefits which are paid on the basis of a person's social insurance contribution record without any regard to means.
Entitlement to a qualification certificate is determined by a statutorily appointed deciding officer on the basis of factual reports furnished by social welfare officers concerning the circumstances of applicants and in the light of the relevant legislation. These arrangements are considered to be the most suitable for the purposes of the scheme and there are no proposals to change them.