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

The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 3 August 1981 and has been paid at the maximum appropriate rate from 6 August 1981, fourth day of incapacity. In addition, pay-related benefit issued from 17 August, 13th day of incapacity. Payment of all disability benefit and pay-related benefit due has been made to 3 November 1981, the date of the latest medical certificate received.

It is provided in the Social Welfare Acts that in the case of a person in receipt of disability benefit the combined total of disability benefit and pay-related benefit may not exceed that person's reckonable earnings in the income tax year on which his entitlement to benefit is based. As the total weekly amount of disability benefit and pay-related benefit at present payable to the person concerned is the same as his reckonable weekly earnings in the 1979-1980 tax year, he is precluded from receiving any increase in the rate of benefit payable on his current claim. In the circumstances there are no arrears of benefit due to him.

Would the Minister tell us when payment was made?

I do not seem to have the date. However, payments are up to date.

Was there considerable delay in this case and was that due to renewed industrial relations problems during the summer period? Have these now been resolved?

From the information I have, there is no delay at all.

7.