Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 292: To ask the Minister for Social Protection, further to Parliamentary Question No. 383 of 14 September 2011, the medical criteria to be satisfied in order to qualify for disability allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26328/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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In order to satisfy the medical conditions for receipt of disability allowance a person must be suffering from an injury, disease, congenital deformity or physical or mental illness or defect which has continued or may reasonably be expected to continue for a period of at least a year and as a result of the condition the person is substantially restricted in undertaking work which would otherwise be suitable having regard to the person's age, experience and qualifications. When conducting an assessment, the medical assessor does not dispute the existence of the certified cause of incapacity but rather s/he assesses the duration of the illness and the degree to which the loss of function in work-related activities, resulting from the disease or injury, affects the person's ability to perform either their own job or alternative types of work.

In this case the person concerned applied for disability allowance on 4 February 2011. Her claim was referred to one of the department's medical assessors who was of the opinion, based on the information furnished by the person's doctor on the application form, that the person was not medically suitable for disability allowance. The deciding officer accepted this opinion and the claim was refused and the person was notified in writing of this decision on 9 May 2011. Further medical evidence was received and referred to a medical assessor who again expressed the opinion that the person was not medically suitable for disability allowance. Accordingly, the original decision to refuse the claim was confirmed by the deciding officer and the person was notified in writing of this on 23 August 2011.