Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal East, Labour)
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659. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) was not awarded the blind pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54897/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Blind Pension is payable to persons who are blind and certain other persons with low vision, aged between 18 and 66 years, who are habitually resident in the State.

Blind Pension is a means tested payment and items which include cash income, the value of any property (excluding the person’s own home), employment, spouse’s employment, self-employment and income from other pensions, both Irish and foreign is assessable as means.

The person concerned has weekly means of €453.50 which is over the weekly statutory limit of €247.60. This income is derived from a private pension and, therefore, the income disregards associated with employment are not applicable in this case.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.