Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 June 2004
136 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Science if an application for early retirement in the name of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny will be approved as soon as possible. [18277/04]
View answerThe person referred to by the Deputy has applied for a disability pension. Entitlement of an applicant to a disability pension is established through the verification by my Department in conjunction with the chief medical officer for the Civil Service that the applicant is not capable of performing his or her duties due to infirmity of body or mind and that the infirmity is likely to be permanent. In the case referred to by the Deputy, the chief medical officer has advised that he is unable to categorise the applicant as permanently incapacitated at this point. The chief medical officer has advised that the applicant's medical consultant should submit a detailed medical report on the applicant's illness, treatment and prognosis for return to work. The position will then be reviewed by the chief medical officer on the basis of the up-to-date medical evidence with a view to deciding on the award of ill-health retirement.
