Joe Higgins
Ceist:226 Mr. Higgins (Dublin West) asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the measures he is instigating to allow brucellosis sufferers qualify for disability allowance and appropriate welfare support. [20682/01]
Vol. 540 No. 3
226 Mr. Higgins (Dublin West) asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the measures he is instigating to allow brucellosis sufferers qualify for disability allowance and appropriate welfare support. [20682/01]
A person suffering from brucellosis may apply for an appropriate benefit or allowance from my Department, which 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 schemes.
Entitlement to these payments are subject to the applicant satisfying the general medical criteria which apply and these are prescribed in legislation. 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.
The occupational injuries scheme provides entitlement to injury or disablement benefit for persons suffering from certain prescribed diseases which are listed specifically in legislation, where they have contracted the disease in the course of their employment.