Vol. 415 No. 9
203 Mr. S. Barrett asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will have arrangements made so that a person (details supplied) in County Dublin, who is in the process of being changed from unemployment assistance, via disability benefit, to invalidity pension will be granted a free fuel allowance on the grounds of hardship.
The person concerned has been in receipt of disability benefit since 18 September 1991. He is also in receipt of disablement pension of £120 a month. He claimed smokeless fuel allowance on 5 December 1991. A condition for payment of the allowance is that means must not exceed £5 weekly. Because of his disablement pension, his means exceeded this weekly limit and his claim was, accordingly, disallowed. The national fuel allowance is not payable with disability benefit.
In order for a person to be considered for an invalidity pension, it is necessary for him or her to have been continuously incapable of work and claiming disability benefit for a minimum period of one year. He does not satisfy this condition at present. If he is still claiming disability benefit in August 1992, he can then be considered for invalidity pension.
