Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 February 2023
406. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) has not qualified for an invalidity pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9807/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraInvalidity Pension (IP) is payable to an insured person who satisfies certain Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions and who is permanently incapable of work due to an illness or incapacity and for no other reason.
Claimants must have at least 260 (5 years) paid PRSI contributions (class A, E, H or S) 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 Invalidity Pension claim.
The relevant date is:
(a) any date after the completion of one year of continuous incapacity for work, or
(b) any lesser period that may be prescribed, subject to the conditions and in the circumstances that may be prescribed
where the insured person has entered into a continuous period of incapacity for work and he or she is subsequently proved to be permanently incapable of work.
A qualifying condition for IP is that a person must be regarded as being permanently incapable of work. A person is regarded as being permanently incapable of work if;
For the period of 1 year immediately before the date of application the person had been continuously incapable of work and a Deciding Officer or an Appeals Officer is satisfied that the person is likely to continue to be incapable of work for at least another year,
OR
A Deciding Officer or an Appeals Officer is satisfied that the likelihood is that the person will be incapable of work for life.
My Department has not received an application for IP from the person concerned. In March 2022, a medical review commenced as the person concerned was in receipt of Illness Benefit (IB) for 18 months and IB is payable for a maximum of 2 years. This review was to assess his continued eligibility for the IB that was in payment to him and also to access his possible medical suitability for IP. The result of the medical assessment was that he did not meet the medical eligibility conditions for IP at that time. The person concerned was informed of the outcome of the medical assessment on the 9 May 2022, he was also advised that he could still make an application for IP if he felt he met the qualifying criteria.
Eligibility for IP can only be established on receipt of a completed application form. The person concerned should submit an IP application form and their entitlement can then be determined.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
