asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he has considered the appeal of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford against the decision to disallow him disability benefit despite his chronic asthma acquired through the inhalation of paint fumes at work up to 1964.
Written Answers - Social Welfare Benefits.
43.
The person concerned has been in receipt of disability benefit continuously from 15 February 1984 and payment was issued to 30 January 1988. Payment was disallowed from 1 February 1988 following an examination by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that he was capable for work. He appealed against the disallowance and was examined by a different medical referee who also expressed the opinion that he was capable of work. His case was then referred to an appeals officer for consideration.
Additional medical evidence was submitted by the person concerned in support of his appeal. The appeals officer, after consultation with the Department's chief medical adviser has requested a further medical examination in view of this new medical evidence. This medical examination will take place on Friday, 8 July 1988 and the result of this examination will be referred to the appeals officer concerned for a final decision in this case.
44.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the correct amount of disability benefit/sick benefit/pay-related benefit payable to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter with particular reference to irregular payments.
The person concerned has been paid disability benefit from June 1985 to date.
His weekly rate of £90.20 is the maximum rate appropriate to a married man with a dependent spouse and two dependent children. He is no longer entitled to pay-related benefit. A deduction of £6 a week is being made to recover the balance of £907.25 which remains from an overpayment of £1,886.02.
An examination of the case shows that benefit has been paid regularly to the person concerned in response to his weekly medical certificates. Any irregularity in payments has been due to the late arrival of the certificates in the Department. In fact in recent months payments appear to have issued at weekly intervals with the exception of one payment this month which was delayed as the medical certificate for the week in question was late in arriving. While every effort is made to process all medical certificates received for payment as soon as possible, disability benefit cheques can only issue when the appropriate weekly medical certificate is received in the Department.
All benefits payable to the person concerned have been issued on receipt of medical evidence of incapacity to 13 June 1988, the date on the latest medical certificate received.