Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 June 2023
415. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection if the expansion of the partial capacity payment scheme will be considered in Budget 2024, to introduce a new statutory payment for employees and self-employed people with chronic illness to attend medical appointments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29359/23]
View answerThe Partial Capacity Benefit scheme allows a person who is in receipt of Invalidity Pension or Illness Benefit (the latter for 26 weeks) to enter or return to employment or self-employment and to continue to receive a partial or full payment. This is an employment support scheme and would not be an appropriate scheme for the issue of travel to medical appointments.
Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme an additional needs payment can be sought to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. This could include payment for costs such as travel and necessary temporary accommodation while attending hospital appointments. In addition, support can be provided through a supplement under the scheme which can be awarded to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from the person's own resources and are deemed to be necessary.
I understand that for patients undergoing cancer treatment, funding is provided by the HSE under the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) for a transportation assistance fund, known as Travel2Care, to assist patients who have a financial difficulty in meeting some of the costs of travelling to appointments. This scheme is administered by the Irish Cancer Society.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
