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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 12 Nov 1997

Vol. 482 No. 6

Written Answers. - Disability Allowance.

Michael Ring

Question:

332 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will give details of the criteria to qualify as being substantially handicapped for disability allowance purposes. [18499/97]

One of the qualifying conditions for entitlement to disability allowance is that a person, by reason of a specified disability, is substantially handicapped in undertaking suitable employment having regard to age, experience and qualifications. A specified disability is defined in regulations to mean an injury, disease, congenital deformity or physical or mental illness or defect which has continued or may reasonably be expected to continue for a period of a year at least.

Being substantially handicapped would mean that the person's capacity to undertake or carry out the employment would be substantially less than that of a person without the disability in question. In all cases an assessment is made by the Department's medical assessor of the evidence submitted by the person's doctor, supplemented if necessary by a separate medical examination to determine the nature and extent of the disability and its effect on the person's capacity to work.
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