asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in the payment of disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Carlow.

The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 5 January 1981 and payment has been made for the period from 8 January 1981, the fourth day of incapacity, to 23 February 1981, the date of the latest medical evidence received.

Payment of benefit was delayed as he failed to quote his RSI number on the medical evidence certificates dated 11 and 18 January 1981.

The Minister said previously that many Deputies did not quote RSI numbers. Is it not a fact that all the disability benefit cases I have submitted have the insurance number and the RSI number?

I would have to check that. The figure I gave yesterday was that, of those on the list yesterday, 25 per cent had not quoted the number. The files were there to be seen. If Deputies were not quoting in 25 per cent of the cases that was not particularly helpful.

Ceist 5.

5.