Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Illness benefit is intended to provide an income replacement for insured persons during short spells of incapacity or illness when they cannot work because of a disability or medical condition. This amends the current legislation to ensure a person cannot be entitled to statutory sick leave and get illness benefit. We are making a change whereby we are increasing the number of days of illness benefit the employer pays from the first three days to the first five days. I am making this legislative change on behalf of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment because it has responsibility for employment law. I do not want people to be getting two payments with illness payment and statutory sick pay. This is why I am changing it.