Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 170: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will be approved and awarded disability allowance. [36575/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Disability Allowance is a weekly allowance which is currently paid to people with a specified disability who are aged 16 or over and under age 66. With effect from January 2009, as part of the Budget 2009 measures, the minimum age for receipt of Disability Allowance has been raised to 18 years for new claimants. The disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to both medical assessment and a means test.

The person concerned made an application for disability allowance on 31 July 2008. He was recently interviewed by a Social Welfare Inspector and the Inspector's report has been forwarded to the Disability Allowance Section in Longford. Upon receipt of the file in the Section, the medical papers relating to the person concerned will be assessed by the Department's Medical Assessor to determine if he satisfies the medical criteria for eligibility to disability allowance.

This person is currently in receipt of basic Supplementary welfare allowance at the reduced rate of €78.20 per week.

A final decision will be given on this person's application for Disability Allowance upon receipt of the Medical Assessor's and Social Welfare Inspector's reports. He will be notified directly of the outcome.