Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 1371: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if medical assessors who make decisions for his Department in relation to applicants and those in receipt of illness payments are required to meet and or examine the persons concerned; if not, the way in which they make their decisions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33869/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The Medical Review and Assessment system is the principal control mechanism for illness and disability schemes administered by the Department of Social Protection. Medical Assessors carry out desk assessments of medical evidence/ reports supplied by doctors/patients and where required, conduct in person assessments in order to provide a second medical opinion for the guidance of Deciding and Appeals Officers. All guidelines are carried out in accordance with the accepted guidelines of the Irish Medical Council.

The vast majority of illness related claims pertain to the Illness Benefit scheme for those initially presenting with a short term illness. Illness Benefit claimants are normally first assessed by a Medical Assessor at a desk assessment (without meeting the claimant) based on the perusal of a medical report from the claimant's doctor. In these desk assessments, the Medical Assessor cannot recommend refusal of Benefit, but can recommend eligibility for benefit or that the claimant should be assessed in person by a Medical assessor to ascertain eligibility for continued entitlement to Illness Benefit. At the in-person assessment, the Medical Assessor may present an opinion to a Deciding Officer in the scheme area who then makes the decision on eligibility. Applicants who wish to claim Disablement Benefit in respect of an injury obtained at work, are normally assessed by a Medical Assessor at an in-person assessment to determine the loss of function involved.

Applicants for other schemes such as Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Domiciliary Care Allowance, Carers Allowance/Benefit, and Respite Care Allowance are generally assessed by a Medical Assessor at desk, based on medical reports and medical evidence submitted by the patient's doctor/specialist. The Medical Assessor presents his/her opinion from the assessment for the guidance of the Deciding Officers in the scheme areas. In certain cases if warranted, the Medical Assessor can recommend that the patient undergo an in person assessment.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 1372: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if he will clarify the reason some young people who are under 18 and living in Health Service Executive secure children's units, receive a full disability payment from his Department despite the fact that their living expenses are all looked after; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33878/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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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. Subject to satisfying all of the conditions of the scheme, persons with a disability can be paid the Allowance on reaching the age of 16.

Following on the implementation of progressive legislative changes to the scheme since it was first introduced in 1996, entitlement to Disability Allowance is not affected by the claimant's place of residency.

The issue of whether claimants in residential care, whether in secure children's units or in other long-term residential institutions, may be required to make a contribution to the costs of that care, is a matter for the Health Services Executive and for the Minister for Health and Children.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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Question 1374: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if he has rejected reported proposals to end the right of some community employment programme workers to welfare entitlements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33895/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes recommended, in its report in 2009, that concurrent entitlement to a range of schemes such as one parent family payment or disability allowance and a Community Employment payment should be discontinued. Any changes to social protection schemes generally, including changes recommended by the Special Group, will fall to be considered later this year in a Budgetary context and in the context of continuing to reduce overall public expenditure and restoring stability to the public finances.

The Government has already made difficult decisions in this regard and the next steps towards recovery will require further such decisions. At the moment, I am engaged in an intensive round of consultations with a wide range of welfare representative organisations and I am listening carefully to their views. In an uncertain international environment, my priority will be to ensure that the overall Government strategy is advanced and to protect those most in need in a manner which is sustainable in the years ahead. It is important to stress that, at this stage, no decisions have been taken either by me or by the Government with regard to the forthcoming budget.