Marie Sherlock (Labour)
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I thank the Minister of State and I congratulate her on her appointment. This is the first opportunity I have had to do so. This question relates to the eligibility for the Covid illness payment, which is an enhanced illness benefit. There is a large degree of confusion as to the difference between persons who have to self-isolate and those who have to restrict their movements and, by extension, confusion about their entitlements from the State, in particular when they find themselves in a situation when they need to restrict their movements.

We have a situation in this country at present with retail workers. Last week, I was contacted by Mandate trade union and it also contacted the Minister to seek clarification. Its members are front-line retail workers interfacing with the public day in, day out. They are also low-paid workers and have no cushion when it comes to being out sick. There is a real concern about what entitlements they have if they are a close contact of a confirmed case and need to restrict their movements.

Not only is the Minister of State's reply very important but the communication to the wider public is critical. People do not understand their entitlements. I would like to understand the number who, if they are eligible, have sought Covid-19 payments because they are self-restricting. Of course, this is dependent on the Minister of State telling me they are entitled to it in the first place. I look forward to the response.

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Senator for posing this question. It is a very important question and clarity is needed on it. I am representing the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection who is not available to take the question. I agree with the Senator that there has been a large degree of confusion and I hope that I can bring clarity to the situation.As we all know, illness benefit is a short-term payment made to insured people who are unable to work due to illness. This payment is funded by the Social Insurance Fund through the payment of PRSI contributions by workers and employers and, in the event of a shortfall between contributions received and benefits paid, the Exchequer. This was always the situation.

Under the Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Act 2020, the Government, having regard to the manifest and grave risk to human life and public health posed by the spread of Covid-19, made exceptional provision, in the public interest and to mitigate the effect of the spread of the disease, to amend and extend the Social Welfare Acts to provide for entitlement to illness benefit for persons who have been diagnosed with, or are a probable source of, infection with Covid-19. The rate of payment of the enhanced illness benefit payment in respect of Covid-19 is higher than the normal maximum personal rate for a limited period. The measures were designed to ensure that, where a registered medical practitioner or a HSE medical officer diagnoses a person with Covid-19 or identifies him or her as a probable source of infection of Covid-19, the person can comply with medical advice to isolate while having his or her income protected. This is essential to limit and slow down the spread of the virus, keep the number of people affected to a minimum and reduce a peak of cases which would cause extreme pressure on the health system.

I will return now to the Senator Sherlock's question and the nub of the issue. I take on board the Senator's concerns and I will pass them on to the Minister. Communication and clarification are extremely important. The Department does not distinguish between people who are self-isolating and people who are restricting their movements. It provides the enhanced illness benefit payment to anyone who meets the eligibility criteria, including a certificate of incapacity for work or evidence of HSE contact tracing. I reiterate the Department does not distinguish between people who are self-isolating and people who are restricting their movements. It is important people are aware of that. When a medical practitioner advises a person to stay away from work because an underlying medical condition means he or she is unable to work safely, the standard illness benefit payment may be made, subject to the conditions of the scheme being satisfied. The purpose of the enhanced illness benefit payment in respect of Covid-19 is to encourage people not to go to work due to financial constraint when they should be in isolation. I hope this clarifies the position for the Senator.

On the question regarding numbers, unfortunately I do not have that information, but I will bring the matter to the attention of the Minister with a view to her Department providing the information to the Senator.

Marie Sherlock (Labour)
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I welcome the Minister of State's clarification that if a person has to self-isolate or restrict his or movements, he or she is entitled to the illness benefit payment. There is an important question with regard to the certification that a person requires to be eligible for that payment. For example, is a doctor's note required? Currently, when a person presents for a test and is diagnosed with Covid-19 there is a paper trail, but this is much less the case where a person has a negative result but is still required to restrict his or her movements for 14 days. I urge the Minister to clarify the certification required and to place emphasis on the need to communicate this to the wider public. The Minister of State referred to the need to slow down this virus. Unless we tell people who are restricting their movements that they will receive this benefit, some people may go to work or conduct their activities in public and we need to discourage that.

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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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.