Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for moving on recognising this as an occupational illness. The Minister has to await the responses from the two Departments but she has moved on it and I recognise that.

My final question comes back to the comment the Minister made. I presume enhanced illness benefit is included in the illness benefit calculation. Someone who has, between enhanced illness benefit and illness benefit, made a claim for at least 12 months can then apply for partial capacity to return to work. At present, there are appalling waiting lists trying to access long Covid clinics but we are told the intention is to reduce these. If people are able to make a recovery, they should not be locked out of returning to work for 12 months. There needs to be flexibility in relation to this particular illness where they can because the evidence is only emerging about this. The reality is that in all probability these people will not be fit to hold down full-time employment within 12 months, but if they can work even half a day a week or a couple of hours a day and if it helps their recovery and allows them to get back into the workforce much more quickly, we need to be able to facilitate it. The difficulty is the rigidity of illness benefit. Partial capacity at present does not take into account the emerging medical treatment for long Covid. We should not be delaying someone's treatment because he or she would be locked out of social welfare as a result. Will the Minister and her officials look at this particular impediment that is now locking people out of making what would be hoped would be a full recovery post Covid.