Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 September 2010
1367 Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an application for a disability allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Longford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33860/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned applied for disability allowance on 28 April 2010. Her claim was assessed by a Medical Assessor who was of the opinion that she was not medically suitable for Disability Allowance. The Deciding Officer accepted this opinion. The person's file was sent to a Social Welfare Inspector for a means investigation. The Inspector was unable to establish how means were disposed of in relation to proceeds from the sale of a house and a redundancy payment. The claim was refused as the person did not satisfy the medical conditions and she failed to show that her means did not exceed the maximum limit for receipt of disability allowance. A letter issued to the person on 27 September 2010, advising her of this decision and of her right of appeal to the Social Welfare Appeals Office, within 21 days.
1368 Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an application for a disability allowance pension in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Longford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33861/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned does not have a current application for disability allowance lodged with my department. However, he had been in receipt of an invalidity pension up to 3 February 2010 when his payment was stopped following a medical review of his entitlement. He has appealed this decision and the appeal was sent to the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 20 July 2010. The Appeals Office will be in direct contact with him regarding his appeal. In the meantime, he is in receipt of assistance under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme.
1369 Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an application for a carer’s allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33862/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 24 September 2010 the person concerned was refused carer's allowance on three separate grounds, namely, that the person being cared for does not require full time care and attention, that she is not providing full time care and attention to that person and, thirdly, that she did not fully disclose her means to an Investigating Officer. She has been notified of this decision, the reasons for it and of her right of review or appeal to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.
1370 Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will give an update on an application for jobseeker’s allowance on behalf of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33863/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned submitted an application for Jobseeker's Allowance on 21 May 2010. A letter issued to the person concerned on 1 September 2010 requesting information regarding means to be supplied within 14 days. To date no response has been received.
1371 Deputy Jan O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection if medical assessors who make decisions for his Department in relation to applicants and those in receipt of illness payments are required to meet and or examine the persons concerned; if not, the way in which they make their decisions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33869/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Medical Review and Assessment system is the principal control mechanism for illness and disability schemes administered by the Department of Social Protection. Medical Assessors carry out desk assessments of medical evidence/ reports supplied by doctors/patients and where required, conduct in person assessments in order to provide a second medical opinion for the guidance of Deciding and Appeals Officers. All guidelines are carried out in accordance with the accepted guidelines of the Irish Medical Council.
The vast majority of illness related claims pertain to the Illness Benefit scheme for those initially presenting with a short term illness. Illness Benefit claimants are normally first assessed by a Medical Assessor at a desk assessment (without meeting the claimant) based on the perusal of a medical report from the claimant's doctor. In these desk assessments, the Medical Assessor cannot recommend refusal of Benefit, but can recommend eligibility for benefit or that the claimant should be assessed in person by a Medical assessor to ascertain eligibility for continued entitlement to Illness Benefit. At the in-person assessment, the Medical Assessor may present an opinion to a Deciding Officer in the scheme area who then makes the decision on eligibility. Applicants who wish to claim Disablement Benefit in respect of an injury obtained at work, are normally assessed by a Medical Assessor at an in-person assessment to determine the loss of function involved.
Applicants for other schemes such as Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Domiciliary Care Allowance, Carers Allowance/Benefit, and Respite Care Allowance are generally assessed by a Medical Assessor at desk, based on medical reports and medical evidence submitted by the patient's doctor/specialist. The Medical Assessor presents his/her opinion from the assessment for the guidance of the Deciding Officers in the scheme areas. In certain cases if warranted, the Medical Assessor can recommend that the patient undergo an in person assessment.
1372 Deputy Jan O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will clarify the reason some young people who are under 18 and living in Health Service Executive secure children’s units, receive a full disability payment from his Department despite the fact that their living expenses are all looked after; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33878/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraDisability Allowance is a weekly payment made to persons with a disability whose employment capacity is substantially restricted by reason of their disability and whose means are insufficient to meet their own needs and those of their dependents. Subject to satisfying all of the conditions of the scheme, persons with a disability can be paid the Allowance on reaching the age of 16.
Following on the implementation of progressive legislative changes to the scheme since it was first introduced in 1996, entitlement to Disability Allowance is not affected by the claimant's place of residency.
The issue of whether claimants in residential care, whether in secure children's units or in other long-term residential institutions, may be required to make a contribution to the costs of that care, is a matter for the Health Services Executive and for the Minister for Health and Children.
1374 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Social Protection if he has rejected reported proposals to end the right of some community employment programme workers to welfare entitlements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33895/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes recommended, in its report in 2009, that concurrent entitlement to a range of schemes such as one parent family payment or disability allowance and a Community Employment payment should be discontinued. Any changes to social protection schemes generally, including changes recommended by the Special Group, will fall to be considered later this year in a Budgetary context and in the context of continuing to reduce overall public expenditure and restoring stability to the public finances.
The Government has already made difficult decisions in this regard and the next steps towards recovery will require further such decisions. At the moment, I am engaged in an intensive round of consultations with a wide range of welfare representative organisations and I am listening carefully to their views. In an uncertain international environment, my priority will be to ensure that the overall Government strategy is advanced and to protect those most in need in a manner which is sustainable in the years ahead. It is important to stress that, at this stage, no decisions have been taken either by me or by the Government with regard to the forthcoming budget.
