Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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382. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a disability allowance payment will be reinstated for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21060/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Disability Allowance (DA) is a weekly allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged 16 or over and under the age of 66. This disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to a medical assessment, means test and Habitual Residency conditions.

I can confirm that the DA payment of person concerned was reviewed following their payment not being collected by the agent from the Post Office. My Department wrote to the person concerned via their agent on the 16 February 2023 to request up to date copies of bank statements, in order for a review to be undertaken and to update their payment method.

Further correspondence issued to the person concerned via their agent on the 16 March 2023 and 17 April 2023. As is the case when no response to a correspondence is received, the payment was terminated with effect from the 17 May 2023.

This individual's entitlement was then referred to a Social Welfare Inspector (SWI) on 17 April 2023 for a report on their means and circumstances. The SWI has been liaising with the agent of the person concerned and their social worker. A new agent form was completed on the 5 May 2023 and the new agent of this individual has committed to supplying the outstanding information next week. My Department hope to have this issue resolved promptly, upon receipt of this information.

Priority will be given to this case once the information is received and the agent of the person concerned will be notified in writing when this has been completed.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.