Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for her response. If I interpret her correctly, I can understand her retaining the status quobecause the nature of the illness benefit is clearly defined in terms of what a person must do to meet the criteria. However, what is happening now in this country, and there is robust clinical evidence for this, is that hospitals such as Cork University Hospital, CUH, in the South/South West Hospital Group have set up or are in the process of establishing long Covid clinics. That will be replicated throughout the country. If somebody moves from the enhanced illness benefit onto the illness benefit, that is for a period of two years. The issue is the period thereafter. Some people will not qualify for an invalidity pension. The presentation of the illnesses they present with, even though it has been determined that they have long Covid from a clinical point of view, may not be a presentation that is prescribed under the terms of the Department's policy. That is why I am raising this. It is the long game I am playing here-----

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