Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for her explanation of this new amendment which did not appear on Committee Stage. I look forward to the future amendment regarding old age pensions.

I do not want to delay proceedings unduly but I wish to check one point with the Minister. Is amendment No. 3 proposing a new section specifically directed at people who at the time they were in receipt of illness benefit were incarcerated? Does it have a general application to a person applying for illness benefit? For example, paragraph (b) of section 46A (1) of the principal Act states that in order to qualify for illness benefit a person must have "a profound restriction on his or her capacity for work" etc. Section 118 of the principal Act goes on to state where a person "is permanently incapable of working in insurable employment" etc. Does this have general application? If it does, does it in some way tighten the eligibility criteria for illness benefit?

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