Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As I said, payment is made where a medical practitioner advises a person to remain away from work. It is clear then that a person needs to be certified by a medical practitioner to avail of the two weeks' enhanced Covid payment. As of 25 September 2020, 55,000 claims had been received since March 2020. Almost 52,000 people have received an enhanced illness benefit payment, the vast majority on the basis that they were a probable risk of infection rather than having been diagnosed with Covid-19. Of those who made claims, 7% have been diagnosed with Covid-19, 82% are a probable risk, 11% were on a Covid-19 illness benefit payment and have moved to another illness payment and 1,854 are currently on the enhanced illness benefit payment. Over €36 million has been spent on the enhanced illness benefit payment to date. I hope this provides the clarity the Senator sought.