Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 July 2022
1306. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider allowing positive PCR results to be sufficient to access enhanced illness benefit, as her Department no longer accepts PCR test results for the enhanced illness benefit payment, and a GP must issue a medical certificate which results in unnecessary expense; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41694/22]
View answerClaims for Illness Benefit must be accompanied by a Certificate of Incapacity for Work from the claimant's GP. This specifies the nature of the illness and the duration of the incapacity for work.
In respect of Enhanced Illness Benefit (EIB), when there was a high rate of Covid 19 infections in the community and a strain on the health service, my Department on a temporary basis during this period of exceptional demand, expanded the range of documentation customers could use to apply for EIB. This included confirmation from the HSE of a positive diagnosis for Covid 19 either through a PCR test or having registered a positive antigen test. In addition, in respect of people who were identified as a close contact, by a positive COVID-19 contact, a person could submit a copy of the acknowledgement text for a PCR booking or the HSE acknowledgement of antigen test kit request.
The use of this additional documentation as an acceptable form of medical evidence to support claims for Enhanced Illness Benefit was introduced as an exceptional measure. The objective was to assist people who had tested positive with Covid-19, or who had been identified as a potential source of infection with Covid-19, to promptly comply with medical advice in line with pubic health objectives.
With effect from 28 February 2022, following the further changes to the public health advice, the Department reviewed their impact on the processing of EIB and, in consultation with the HSE, introduced changes to the documentation required to support an application, namely:
- for individuals who had a positive COVID diagnosis they could continue to upload evidence of the positive PCR test or the SMS acknowledgment received by persons who logged a positive antigen test on the HSE portal, with their Enhanced Illness Benefit on-line application and
- for those who were symptomatic and had to self isolate, they were required to provide an eCert from their GP for the period of their self isolation.
With effect from 30 April 2022, in light of the current public health guidance, the Department discontinued all the temporary exceptional arrangements and re-introduced the requirement for medical certification (a Certificate of Incapacity for Work) to be submitted in respect of all illness benefit applications, standard or EIB.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
