The Health Act 2004 provided for the Health Service Executive, which was established on 1 January 2005. Under the Act, the executive is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services.
Responsibility for the assessment of entitlement to and payment of the blind welfare allowance, including the payment of arrears, rests with the executive. My Department has requested the chief officer for the executive's eastern regional area to investigate the matter raised and to reply directly to the Deputy.