asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is aware of the very serious delays that occur in the arrangement of oral hearings in dealings with disability benefit claims; and if he will make arrangements to have such hearings disposed of within a month of the hearing being granted.
Written Answers. - Disability Benefit
452.
Where an appeals officer decides to hold an oral hearing, every effort is made to deal with the claim as quickly as possible. It is not possible in present circumstances, however, to ensure that oral hearings are heard within a specified time.
Disallowances of disability benefit claims on the grounds of the claimant not being incapable of work are decided in the light of the results of an examination of the person concerned by a medical referee of the Department. Where a person appeals against the decision and continues to claim that he or she is incapable of work, it is normal procedure to have the person examined by another of the Department's medical referees. In the event of the person being again found capable of work by this examination, the case is then submitted to the appeals officer. Apart from this, delays are occurring in the processing of appeals because of the very large increase in the number of appeals of all kinds which have arisen in recent years as a direct consequence of the growth in the numbers claiming social welfare payments. These increases in workload have resulted in lengthening of the times being taken to process claims and appeals of all kinds. Everything possible is being done to control the situation and to keep delays to a minimum.
453.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if, arising from the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 547 of 19 February 1985 he will instruct Social Welfare staff that they should not, without the consent of an employee, communicate to employers or their agents details of disability benefit payments or the dates of such payments which are personal and confidential.
It is a condition for entitlement to disability benefit that the claimant must be incapable of work due to illness during the period of the claim. The Department, as part of its statutory responsibility for the control of social welfare expenditure, has a responsibility to ensure that benefit is paid only to persons who are entitled to it. In the case of disability benefit, this includes a responsibility to ensure that the claimant is not at work for any period during the course of the claim as this would invalidate the persons entitlement to benefit for the days in question. As part of the exercise of its normal control procedures, the Department from time to time inquires from the employers of claimants if the persons were absent from work during the particular periods when they claimed benefit. The Department is careful to ensure that no personal or medical details are disclosed to the employers. This practice is considered to be an essential control procedure in the processing of claims.