Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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208. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied) for a disability allowance, which was submitted at the end of June 2023; if she will consider that the applicant cannot get a GP appointment or avail of services until the application is approved, and will ensure that a decision is delivered at the earliest; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47079/23]

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 confirm that my Department received an application for DA from the person concerned on 23 March 2023. The application was examined and, based upon the evidence submitted, it was refused on 17 May 2023. This application for DA was refused as the applicant failed to supply the additional information requested on 30 March 2023.

This information was subsequently received by my Department and a review of the decision 30 March 2023 was conducted. Following this review, the person concerned was awarded DA with effect from 29 March 2023. The first payment will be made by their chosen payment method on 1 November 2023.

Arrears of payment due will issue as soon as possible once any necessary adjustment is calculated and applied in respect of any overlapping payments (if applicable).

The person concerned was notified of this decision in writing on 23 October 2023.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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209. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when the medical assessment will be finalised for an application for disability allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47108/23]

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 confirm that my Department received an application for DA from the person concerned on 10 May 2023. The processing time for individual DA claims may vary in accordance with their relative complexity in terms of the three main qualifying criteria, the person’s circumstances and the information they provide in support of their claim.

As the initial application did not contain their doctor's medical report required for a decision, a request was sent to the person concerned on 25 May 2023 to supply this. An applicant is permitted 21 days for the information to be returned. However, in this instance, as this information was not received from the person concerned, the application was withdrawn. They were notified in writing of this decision on 4 July 2023, and they were given the opportunity to re-apply.

The medical report was received on 10 August 2023 and a review of this decision was carried out. Following this review, the person concerned has been awarded DA with effect from 10 May 2023. The first payment will be made by their chosen payment method on 15 November 2023. Arrears of payment due will issue as soon as possible once any necessary adjustment is calculated and applied in respect of any overlapping payments (if applicable).

The person concerned was notified of this decision in writing on 24 October 2023.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.