Jim Kemmy
Ceist:38 Mr. Kemmy asked the Minister for Social Welfare his views on whether persons in receipt of disability benefit for 12 consecutive months should automatically be assessed for invalidity pension.
Written Answers. - Invalidity Pension Assessment.
Disability benefit climants are referred at intervals for examination by my Department's medical referees. The vast majority of claimants would be referred for such an examination at least once, and possibly more often, during their first 12 months on disability benefit. If a medical referee considers the disability to be permanent, the client is invited to apply for invalidity pension, provided he or she has been on disability benefit (DB) for 12 months and meets the contribution conditions.
In certain cases, it is not possible to predict the future course of the disease or disability. Such cases are referred for re-examination at intervals determined by the medical referee in each individual case. However, any client who has been on disability benefit for 12 months or more can apply to be transferred to invalidity pension. On receipt of such applications, a further medical examination is carried out to see if suitability for invalidity pension can be established at that stage.