Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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131. To ask the Minister for Social Protection when he will forward a file for a person (details supplied) to the Social Welfare Appeals Office regarding the illness benefit scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18660/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Illness Benefit is a payment for people who are incapable of work and who satisfy certain insurance contribution (PRSI) conditions.

The person concerned was examined by one of my Department’s medical assessors in July 2015 who expressed the opinion that they were capable of work. This view was upheld by a deciding officer.

The decision was appealed and, as part of the appeal process, a further medical examination by another medical assessor was held in December 2015. The opinion was that the person concerned was capable of work.

The papers on the case were inadvertently filed away and the matter was not referred at that stage to the Appeals Office. This has now been done and the procedure for processing the appeal will proceed. The appeals office will contact the person concerned directly.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy and my Department apologises for the delay in processing the case.