Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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656. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will review correspondence (details supplied); if he will expedite a decision in this case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51866/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Disablement Benefit is a compensatory payment for persons who have suffered a loss of faculty due to injury arising out of and in their insurable employment. All qualifying criteria for disablement benefit must be satisfied before entitlement to payment can be established.

The person concerned applied for Disablement Benefit on 10 July 2025 for an accident which was alleged to have occurred on 7 February 2025. Following an investigation of the claim, the accident has been deemed an occupational accident and their case has been referred to a Departmental Medical Assessors to ascertain their percentage loss of faculty due to their occupational accident.

The Medical Review and Assessment team issued correspondence to the person concerned on 9 September 2025 requesting further information. This information was returned on 19 September 2025. The person concerned will be scheduled for an in-person medical assessment in the coming weeks. Their claim for Disablement Benefit will be processed without delay following this assessment.

In the meantime, they continue to receive income support through their Illness Benefit payment.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.