Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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323. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason that persons in receipt of disability allowance must share their boarding pass with her Department in order to avail of their 14 day holiday entitlement; the length of time this information is held by her Department; what the information included in these travel documents is used for by her Department; and the legislative basis for requesting this information. [9372/24]

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.

Disability Allowance is not payable for any period outside the State, under Section 249 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005. An exception is allowed for the first two weeks absent from state in any 12 month period.

Proof of travel arrangements is sought to establish the dates on which the person was out of the country. This ensures customers receive their full entitlement to DA. While a boarding pass for their trip would suffice as evidence, a copy of the travel Itinerary as proof of travel would also be accepted to ensure continued DA payments are in order.

I can confirm that the information request is used solely to establish the customers eligibility for payment of DA during a 12 month period. Documents in respect of Disability Allowance applications and eligibility are retained for six years after termination of claim.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.