Written answers

Tuesday, 10 October 2006

Department of Social and Family Affairs

Social Welfare Benefits

9:00 pm

Photo of Dinny McGinleyDinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 119: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his views on the assertion made in a newspaper (details supplied) that many people are applying for disability rather than unemployment payments, as it is easier to get the necessary documentation to apply for disability payments rather than unemployment payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31837/06]

Photo of Olwyn EnrightOlwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 180: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reasons behind the significant drop in the number of applicants for unemployment payments and the significant rise in the number applications for disability payments (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31838/06]

Photo of Séamus BrennanSéamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 119 and 180 together.

My Department administers a wide range of social welfare benefit and assistance type payments to provide income support payments for periods of illness, unemployment, retirement and other lifetime events. Illness benefit and occupational injury benefit is mainly claimed by persons who are in employment and the claim is for short durations of illness after which the claimant returns to his/her employment.

The number of persons in employment grew from 1,793 million in 2003 to 1,998 million in the first quarter of 2006, an increase of 204,700 or 11% in total. This increase in employment has resulted in an increase in numbers of persons with PRSI contributions and would be expected to lead to an increase in illness benefit and invalidity pension claims. A period of increase in employment would be equally expected to lead to a decrease in unemployment, now jobseeker's benefit and assistance claims.

There was a decrease in the numbers registered for jobseekers benefit between 31 December 2003 and end June 2006 while there was an increase in the numbers in receipt of disability payments and jobseeker's allowance. The most significant increase in the numbers in receipt of disability payments was on the disability allowance scheme.

Improvements in the means test for disability allowance such as the increases in the earnings disregards, increases in the capital disregard to €20,000 and changes to allow persons to retain disability allowance on entering hospital have increased the numbers in receipt of this payment over the years. In addition a new weekly personal payment of EUR 35 to persons who were not generally entitled to receive the Disability Allowance as long as they continue to reside in an institution was introduced in Budget 2005. This was payable to over 2,800 persons who were not previously in receipt of any social welfare payment.

In principle where a person satisfies the criteria for more than one social welfare payment they are entitled to receive the payment that best suits their own individual circumstances. Of the 8,203 people awarded disability allowance in the first nine months of 2006, 42 were in receipt of Unemployment Benefit and 843 were in receipt of Unemployment Assistance at time of application for disability allowance.

In the case of jobseeker's benefit and allowance, the claimant must be unemployed, be capable of work, be available for work and be genuinely seeking work. In the case of jobseeker's allowance the claimant must satisfy the means test and for jobseeker's benefit must satisfy the PRSI contribution conditions.

In the case of disability allowance the person must be suffering from an injury, disease, illness, congenital deformity or mental disability which has continued or may be expected to continue for at least one year, and as a result of the condition, be substantially restricted in undertaking work. The person also must satisfy a means test similar to unemployment assistance. For illness benefit the person must be incapable of work due to illness and for invalidity pension there must be permanent incapacity for work and for both schemes the person must satisfy the PRSI contribution conditions.

Where a person claims a payment from my Department in respect of disease or disability, an opinion regarding the claimant's medical condition is given in the first instance by the person's own medical doctor. Where required, a second opinion is provided by Medical Assessors employed by my Department for the guidance of the Department's Deciding Officers who ultimately determine entitlement. When a claimant is called for a medical examination, the Medical Assessor will have available to him or her the initial medical diagnosis, supplemented, where appropriate, by relevant specialist and other reports. These arrangements ensure that payments are made only in appropriate cases.

I will continue to have the situation monitored to ensure that payments are made only in appropriate circumstances.

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