Question:
366 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the diseases and disabilities under which people can claim any of the following payments, invalidity, disability or IDMA. [14009/01]
Written Answers - Social Welfare Benefits.
My Department administers a number of illness and disability payments to persons who may have diseases or disabilities. These consist of disability benefit, invalidity pension, disability allowance, injury benefit and disablement benefit. The infectious disease maintenance allowance is administered by the health boards and is accordingly a matter for the Department of Health and Children. In the first instance, entitlement to these payments are subject to the applicant satisfying the general medical criteria which apply and these are prescribed in legislation. For short-term payments such as disability benefit entitlement depends on the person being unfit for work. For long-term payments such as invalidity pension and disability allowance the person must be permanently incapable of work. In addition, certain PRSI contribution conditions must be met in the case of disability benefit and invalidity pension and, for disability allowance, a means test must be satisfied.
Injury and disablement benefit come within the occupational injuries scheme, which provides entitlement to persons injured at work or suffering from certain prescribed diseases which are listed in legislation, where they have contracted the disease in the course of their employment. The occupational injuries scheme is the only one in respect of which specific disease are listed in this legislation. Where a person claims a payment from my Department in respect of disease or disability, an opinion regarding their medical condition is given in the first instance by the person's own doctor. Where required, a second opinion is provided by medical assessors employed by my Department for the assistance of the Department's deciding officers who ultimately determine entitlement. When a claimant is called for a medical examination, the medical assessor will have available to him or her the initial medical diagnosis, supplemented, where appropriate, by relevant specialist and other reports. The claimant's doctor is informed and may attend the medical examination if he so desires. Where considered necessary, there is provision for the chief medical adviser to seek specialist consultant advice in a particular case. Any information provided by the claimant is also taken into account.