Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 December 2013
137. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the papers regarding an invalidity pension appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo that was lodged on the 17 of October 2012 have yet to be forwarded to the social welfare appeals office in Dublin; when this matter will be dealt with; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54723/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraInvalidity pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and who satisfy the contribution conditions.
This department received a claim for IP for the person concerned on 25 September 2012.
His application for IP was disallowed by a deciding officer (DO) on the ground that the person concerned was deemed to be engaged in employment (farming). The person concerned was notified of the decision to refuse their invalidity pension application on 27 September 2012 and he appealed the decision.
As is normal procedure in the case of appeals, the file was reviewed by a DO in order to confirm or revise the decision. The deciding officer sent the file to a social welfare inspector (SWI) for investigation. Following receipt of the completed report from the SWI, the deciding officer was satisfied that the person concerned was not in employment. The next step should have been to establish whether the person in question was medically eligible for IP. However due to an unfortunate oversight the papers were filed away in error and not referred for a medical assessment. The Department wishes to apologise to the person in question for this error which led to the claim not being assessed in a timely and correct way.
In order to establish medical suitability a diagnostic report has now issued to the customer concerned to be completed by his general practitioner or other treating physician. On receipt of the completed report (and supporting evidence, if applicable) medical suitability will be determined as a matter of urgency and the person concerned will be notified of the decision by a deciding officer.
