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

As the Deputy knows, we brought in Covid illness benefit for the purpose of allowing people to take time off work immediately once they got certification from their doctor. Whether they were off sick or had to isolate, a doctor could still electronically certify that the person in question should not be in work and the payment kicked in straight away, without waiting days. That is a payment of €350.

We need to consider that the average period for which people are sick and receive that payment is three weeks, approximately 21 days. That is why the enhanced illness benefit is available for up to ten weeks.

People have asked about those who get Covid and who are sick for longer than ten weeks, but it is fair to say that there are individuals who have other illnesses and who are sick for much longer than ten weeks as well. We must be fair when we are looking at this so that people who have other long-term illnesses are treated equitably and that everybody is treated in a fair way. The reason the payment was brought in was to stop the transmission of the virus and to allow people to take time off work. It is still there for that purpose. If people are not feeling well and they think they have been in contact with a positive case, they should get in touch with a doctor and get the payment straight away. These are the rules. I will consider what the Deputy is saying, but I must look at it in the context of other citizens who have long-term illnesses as well.

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