Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 341: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the position regarding a disability allowance application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo. [35431/09]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 342: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the position regarding an illness benefit in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo. [35432/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 341 and 342 together.

The person concerned exhausted his entitlement to Illness Benefit on 22 June 2009. He was notified by letter that, in order to re-qualify for Illness Benefit, he would need 13 additional weeks of insurable employment from the date his benefit stopped. He was also advised that if he was not able to meet his needs that he may be entitled to Supplementary Welfare Allowance or Disability Allowance.

On 3rd June 2009, an application from the person concerned was approved for an exemption (permission to work part-time) under the conditions for receipt of Illness Benefit. Exemptions are granted for rehabilitative and occupational therapy purposes. They allow people in receipt of Illness Benefit to engage in part-time work or training and retain their Illness Benefit payment with the objective of enabling them to return to the workplace on a full-time basis. Disability Allowance is a weekly allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged over 16 and under 66. The disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to a medical assessment, a means test and a habitual residency test.

The person concerned applied for Disability Allowance on 9 July 2009. Following a medical examination by a Medical Assessor and a means investigation by a Social Welfare Inspector he was awarded Disability Allowance on 1 October 2009 at the maximum weekly rate of €204.30. His first payment will be in his bank account on 21 October, 2009. While this claim was initially awarded from 15 July 2009 it is now being back-dated to 23 June 2009 (the day after his Illness Benefit stopped) and arrears due from then, less overlapping payments of Supplementary Welfare Allowance which he received in the meantime, will issue directly by cheque to the person concerned soon after he receives his first Disability Allowance payment.

As the person concerned had been granted permission to engage in rehabilitative type work under the Illness Benefit scheme this permission will continue to apply under the Disability Allowance scheme. Earnings up to €120 per week from rehabilitative type work are not taken into account in assessing means for Disability Allowance purposes.

As it now appears that the person concerned may have the necessary 13 additional weeks of insurable employment to re-qualify for Illness Benefit it is open to him to advise the Department if he wishes to claim Illness Benefit instead of Disability Allowance. However, while the rate of payment for both schemes is the same, persons in receipt of Disability Allowance are entitled to a Free Travel pass while those in receipt of Illness Benefit are not so entitled.