Written answers

Thursday, 8 July 2021

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection

Social Welfare Benefits

Photo of Paul KehoePaul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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265. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if assistance is available to a person (details supplied) to retain the additional benefits for a disabled person; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37040/21]

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Payment of the secondary benefits outlined by the Deputy is directly linked to the payment of the primary payment – Disability Allowance. There are no circumstances where the payment of these secondary benefits can continue to be paid when the primary payment has ceased due to the person exceeding the income limit for receipt of the primary payment.

Any decision to allow a person to continue to receive the fuel allowance, free travel or HHB after the cessation of a primary payment would have budgetary consequences and would have to be considered in the context of budget negotiations.

A person in receipt of certain Social Security Payments from a country covered by EU Regulations or a country with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement may have an entitlement to secondary benefits from my Department. Entitlement to these secondary benefits can only be determined following receipt of the necessary completed application forms and any associated supplementary information requested.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

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