Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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639. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason an invalidity pension claim in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork has been disallowed. [51330/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Invalidity pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and for no other reason and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions. Permanently incapable of work is defined as an incapacity for work of such a nature that the likelihood is that the claimant will be incapable of work for life or an incapacity which has existed for 12 months prior to the date of claim and where the Deciding Officer or Appeals Officer is satisfied that the claimant is likely to be unable to work for 1 year from the date of the claim.

The Department received a claim for IP for the person concerned on 18 November 2020. The person concerned was refused IP on 05 February 2021 on the grounds that the medical conditions for the scheme were not satisfied.

A review request was subsequently received  on behalf of the person concerned and additional medical evidence was submitted.  This was reviewed by a separate medical Deciding Officer on the 12 May 2021 who also refused the claim on the grounds that the medical conditions for the scheme were not satisfied. The person in question was notified on the 12 May 2021 that the decision was unchanged and was afforded the opportunity to appeal the decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO) within 21 days. However, an appeal was not received from the person concerned.

It is open to the person concerned to reapply for an Invalidity Pension or to submit a further review request with any additional medical evidence.

I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.