Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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273. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if maternity benefit might issue in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7359/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Maternity Benefit is a payment made for up to 26 weeks to employed and self-employed women who are on maternity leave from work and who satisfy certain qualifying conditions including social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions on their own insurance record.

To qualify for Maternity Benefit, a woman must be in insurable employment that is covered by the Maternity Protection Act, 1994, immediately before the first day of maternity leave and she must meet certain PRSI contribution conditions listed in the governing legislation.

Claimants who are not EU/EEA citizens are required to have a GNIB/Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card and a work permit, if necessary, to legally work in Ireland. Any employment performed without the required permissions to be employed in Ireland is not considered valid insurable employment and is not reckonable for PRSI purposes. Any PRSI stamps accrued during this period are not valid for social welfare purposes.

In this case, the person concerned applied for Maternity Benefit on 24 December 2021. Confirmation of permission to work in Ireland was requested from the person concerned on 26 January 2022, 20 September 2022 and 10 October 2022. To date, this has not been provided.

Should the person concerned provide the requested information, a deciding officer will review the decision on her claim.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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274. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when child benefit will be paid in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7360/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Child Benefit is a monthly payment to the parents or guardians of children under 16 years of age. Child Benefit can also be claimed for children aged 16 and 17, if they are in full-time education or full-time training or have a disability and cannot support themselves.

No Child Benefit claim has been received from the person concerned. An application for Child Benefit can be made by submitting a completed application. Claim forms are available on gov.ie or from any local Department office.

I hope that this clarifies the matter for the deputy.