asked the Minister for Social Welfare the date disability benefit in respect of the period 22 to 31 January, 1981 will be paid to a person (details supplied).

The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 22 January 1981 and has been paid at the maximum appropriate rate. All disability benefit due from 26 January 1981, fourth day of incapacity, to 31 January 1981, after which date he was certified fit to resume work, was issued on 2 April 1981.

Why did it take so long to pay the money which was due from 31 January last?

The insurance numbers were not correct on some of the certificates.

Were they correct on some of them?

It is not possible to associate them with the claim. It is not as simple as that. On the first one you open the claim and you need a subsequent certificate to pay any money. The first certificate only opens the claim and if the subsequent certificate does not have the correct number it is not possible to associate it with the original claim.

If the money fell due on 31 January and it was not paid until 4 April surely that is a very long delay and the Minister should be ashamed of it?

If the numbers had been correctly quoted the money would have been paid on time.

3.