asked the Minister for Social Welfare what period of absence from the State renders an insured worker ineligible for national health benefit, when such worker's card rendered him eligible for full benefit prior to his leaving the country.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - National Health Benefit: Absent Workers' Elegibility.
6.
By virtue of Regulations made under the Social Welfare Acts, disability benefit may be paid to an insured person while absent from the State in the following circumstances:—
(a) in Great Britain, Northern Ireland or the Isle of Man, until the expiration of twenty-six weeks there when by virtue of reciprocal arrangements the new country assumes liability for claims to benefit, or
(b) in Great Britain, Northern Ireland or the Isle of Man, so long as the absence is temporary in a case where the reciprocal arrangements do not apply, or
(c) in other countries, if the absence is temporary and is for the specific purpose of receiving treatment for incapacity for work which arose before the insured person left the State, but in such case payment of the benefit is suspended until he returns here unless he nominates an approved person resident in the State to receive payment of the benefit on his behalf, or
(d) in the case of an insured person employed as a master or member of the crew of a ship or vessel, for any period of incapacity for which the employer is not liable to pay wages and in such case benefit is suspended until he returns but payment may be made to an approved person.
Where these circumstances do not obtain, disability benefit is not payable to an insured person during absence from the State.