Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 September 2023
213. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if disability allowance/illness benefit or another appropriate payment is available in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40949/23]
View answerDisability Allowance (DA) is a weekly allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged 16 or over and under the age of 66. This disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to a medical assessment, means test and Habitual Residency conditions .
Eligibility for DA is conditional on satisfying the medical criteria, a means test and being habitually resident in the state. A person applying for DA may be disallowed on one or more of these conditions.
Invalidity pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions.
To qualify for IP, a claimant must, inter-alia, have at least 260 (5 years) paid PRSI contributions since entering social insurance and 48 contributions paid or credited in the last or second last complete contribution year before the relevant date of their claim. Only PRSI classes A, E, H or S contributions are reckonable for IP purposes.
Illness Benefit (IB) is the primary short term income support provided by my Department to those who are unable to work due to illness of any type and who are covered by social insurance.
Eligibility for IB depends on the person’s PRSI record and class. People must have made the required number of contributions in Class A, E, H or P to qualify.
The person concerned is currently in receipt of IB effective from 28 March 2022. A completed DA or IP application form should be submitted to the Department in order to establish if the person concerned has an alternative entitlement.
An application form for both DA and IP was posted to the person on 19 September 2023.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
