Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 November 2021
400. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department will examine the case and the circumstances of a person (details supplied) in relation to the illness benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56009/21]
View answerThe person concerned was in receipt of Illness Benefit from the 5th May 2011 to the 29th November 2012, at which point he transferred to Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB). This is a scheme that allows a person to return to work and continue to receive a full or partial payment from the Department. He received PCB from the 30th November 2012 to the 22nd May 2013, at which point his entitlement to Partial Capacity Benefit and Illness Benefit exhausted, as payment is made for two years or 624 payable days. This is the reason his claim closed at that time.
The Department received a more recent application for Illness Benefit from the person concerned on the 26th February 2019. This claim was disallowed as he did not meet the PRSI qualifying conditions for payment.
In order to qualify for Illness Benefit, a person must have 39 PRSI contributions paid or credited in the second last complete tax year from which the claim is made, or they must have 26 reckonable PRSI contributions paid in both the second last complete tax year and the year prior to that. They must also have at least 13 PRSI contributions paid in one of the past 5 years from which the claim was made.
The person concerned did not meet the PRSI conditions necessary for payment of Illness Benefit. It is open for the person concerned to make a more up to date application for Illness Benefit, but it would appear that he still does not meet the PRSI criteria for payment of Illness Benefit.
If the person concerned is permanently incapable of work or will be incapable of work for at least one year, it is open for him to apply for the long term, means tested Disability Allowance scheme.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
