Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 669: To ask the Minister for Social and Affairs if he will examine the case of a person (details supplied) in County Galway. [14699/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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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 and was awarded a reduced rate Disability Allowance from 14 March 2007. The weekly rate of Disability Allowance payment depends on the amount of weekly means assessed. The legislative provisions regarding Disability Allowance state that means will be assessed from all income which the claimant or claimant's spouse may reasonably expect to receive during the year following the date of their claim with certain exceptions. The person concerned was assessed with weekly means of €266.40 derived from a pension he received from the Department of Defence which is assessable as means for Disability Allowance. Based on these means, the person qualifies for Disability Allowance at the weekly rate of €99.90 effective from 6 January 2010. If his means have decreased he should notify the Department in writing and furnish all relevant documents and his claim will be reviewed.