Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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68. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if a person's disability allowance (details supplied) in County Kerry will be reviewed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17185/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Disability allowance (DA) is a means tested scheme and the way means are assessed is laid down in social welfare legislation. In summary any income, with some exceptions, belonging to the person and his/her spouse, partner or cohabitant is assessable as means for disability allowance purposes. It is the nature of means tested schemes that there is no entitlement to a payment once means exceed a given amount. There is no discretion allowed as deciding officers are obliged to follow the legislation when assessing means.

DA scheme rules allow for a disregard of the first €50,000 of a person's means from capital, which is the most generous capital disregard of the Department's working age schemes. The next €10,000 is assessed at €1 per week per 000; the next €10,000 at €2 per week per 000 and the remainder of capital (in excess of €70,000) is assessed at €4 per week per 000.