Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I have a couple of questions for the Minister in respect of illness benefit. She spoke about Covid demonstrating how flexible the social protection system can be. I wish to raise one issue concerning those on illness benefit accessing the fuel allowance. We know it is not a qualifying payment. I will give an example of a gentleman who was in touch with me, who has a terminal illness. He is on illness benefit. I know he can go on to a longer term payment and then qualify for the fuel allowance, but rather than putting that on him, I am wondering about flexibility within the system. I know that for a lot of these payments it is very black and white, but is it possible for sections within the Department to consider giving the fuel allowance to recipients of illness benefit where they are terminally ill? I know it is difficult to pick between one illness and another for people who are on illness benefit because it varies so much but where the illness is terminal, would recipients be able to access the fuel allowance? Is there any flexibility in regard to that or could it be looked at?

I also wish to raise the issue of accessing illness benefit for people who are in receipt of a widow's pension and are working. They are working and paying PRSI. I have two cases of women - it is typically women - with children who got Covid, and they could not get the Covid illness benefit payment, or any illness benefit. They are widows and they are entitled to their widow's pension given the circumstances, but they are working and paying PRSI, and I do not think they should be locked out of illness benefit, which is a short-term payment. There are not many such cases, but in a case I had where a woman with young children got sick with Covid, she could not get the payment. I have raised this with the Minister previously, but I ask her again. They have an entitlement to a widow's pension, which is right and proper, but they should not be locked out of something like illness benefit. I do not think it would cost a lot of money as it would only arise in certain cases. I want to raise that with the Minister again.

I previously raised the new basic income pilot scheme for artists with the Minister. I appreciate that it is a matter for the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport, Gaeltacht and Media, Deputy Catherine Martin, but the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, has an input in terms of those artists who are in receipt of a disability allowance or the blind pension. If they choose to move on to the income support, they should not lose their disability allowance or blind pension. However, we are going to put them in a very difficult position if they cannot sign up to the new pilot scheme, as artists, because they are afraid of losing their disability allowance or blind pension. This needs to be worked out while the scheme is being developed rather than having it arise when the scheme is up and running and people with disabilities are locked out of it. That would not be fair or proper. In fact, it would be discriminatory. It is being put the to the Minister now and I have raised it with her previously. I am sure others have also raised it. We must make sure that the new pilot scheme for artists is open to those artists in receipt of disability allowance and that they do not lose the likes of a medical card, a place on a social housing list or a disability allowance or blind pension, in the case of the payments for which the Minister is responsible. We must make sure that is in place for the pilot scheme before it is rolled out.