Bernard Durkan
Question:273. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if maternity benefit might issue in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7359/24]
View answerThursday, 15 February 2024
Questions (273)
Written answers
Maternity Benefit is a payment made for up to 26 weeks to employed and self-employed women who are on maternity leave from work and who satisfy certain qualifying conditions including social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions on their own insurance record.
To qualify for Maternity Benefit, a woman must be in insurable employment that is covered by the Maternity Protection Act, 1994, immediately before the first day of maternity leave and she must meet certain PRSI contribution conditions listed in the governing legislation.
Claimants who are not EU/EEA citizens are required to have a GNIB/Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card and a work permit, if necessary, to legally work in Ireland. Any employment performed without the required permissions to be employed in Ireland is not considered valid insurable employment and is not reckonable for PRSI purposes. Any PRSI stamps accrued during this period are not valid for social welfare purposes.
In this case, the person concerned applied for Maternity Benefit on 24 December 2021. Confirmation of permission to work in Ireland was requested from the person concerned on 26 January 2022, 20 September 2022 and 10 October 2022. To date, this has not been provided.
Should the person concerned provide the requested information, a deciding officer will review the decision on her claim.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.