John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 444: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a disability allowance application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Sligo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28082/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The person concerned applied for disability allowance on 21 June 2010. Her application has been assessed by a medical assessor. A decision on the person's entitlement to disability allowance will be made when her means and habitual residence have been established. The person will be notified of the outcome in due course.

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 445: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the schemes and programmes available to a person (details supplied) with a disability; if any special schemes, options or retraining are available to them; if so, if she will outline same. [28097/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department provides income supports for people who are unable to secure employment by virtue of a disability through the insurance-based Invalidity Pension scheme and the means-tested Disability Allowance scheme.

Invalidity pension is a social insurance based payment paid to people who are permanently incapable of work due to disability or illness. One of the conditions for receipt of the payment is that the recipient does not engage in any form of employment.

However, an exemption to this requirement is provided for in very specific circumstances. Such an exemption, which typically lasts for 12 months, will normally take the form of employment which is deemed by the Department to be both part-time (i.e. not more than 19.5 hours per week) and rehabilitative in nature or, alternatively, a community employment scheme or a training course arranged by FÁS. An application for such an exemption must be made to the Department in advance of the employment or training course beginning.

Disability Allowance is a weekly payment made to persons with a disability whose employment capacity is substantially restricted by reason of their disability and whose means are insufficient to meet their own needs and those of their dependents. As well as providing income support for people with disabilities, incentives towards employment and training are also a key feature of Disability Allowance. An income disregard for earnings from rehabilitative employment provides that all income up to €120 per week is disregarded as means when assessing entitlement, while income between €120 and €350 is assessed on the basis of 50 cents for every euro earned.

The person referred to by the Deputy should contact his/her local Social Welfare office who will be in a position to advise him/her of his/her welfare entitlements and who will also be in a position to refer him/her to the local Jobs Facilitator who can advise more widely on potential options for retraining. The Deputy will be aware that FÁS, which has a statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of training to people with disabilities, also offers a range of training and related supports to people with disabilities and the person concerned should also make contact with their local FÁS office in order to explore the training options which may be available from them.