Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 857: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs her guidelines regarding the permission to work or train exemption in relation to people on illness benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38499/09]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 858: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs her guidelines in relation to extensions to work or train exemptions in relation to people on illness benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38500/09]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 859: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason decisions regarding permission to work or train exemptions in respect of persons on illness benefit cannot be appealed to the social welfare appeals office; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38503/09]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 860: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason decisions on extensions to work or train exemptions in respect of people on illness benefit cannot be appealed to the social welfare appeals office; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38504/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 857 to 860, inclusive, together.

Illness Benefit is a payment made to insured people who are unable to work due to illness and who satisfy certain Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) conditions. Customers who have been in receipt of Illness Benefit for at least six months may apply for permission to work part-time (not more than 20 hours per week) or to participate in a Community Employment (C.E.) or FÁS training course. This permission is known as an "exemption".

The aim of allowing people in receipt of Illness Benefit to return to part-time work or training and retain their Illness Benefit payment is for rehabilitative and occupational therapy purposes. The objective is that this will enable them, subsequently, to return to the workplace on a full-time basis.

A customer applies for an exemption by completing an application form and providing a report from their doctor. In general, these are sent to one of the Department's Medical Assessors for consideration. In examining exemption applications the Medical Assessor considers the nature of the particular illness/injury, treatment to date and prognosis. They assess the nature of the proposed employment or training and consider both whether the work or training is appropriate in light of the person's incapacity and how, in light of rehabilitation/occupational therapy, it would progress a return to full-time work. In some cases the custom A customer applies for an exemption by completing an application form and providing a report from their doctor. In general, these are sent to one of the Department's Medical Assessors for consideration. In examining exemption applications the Medical Assessor considers the nature of the particular illness/injury, treatment to date and prognosis. They assess the nature of the proposed employment or training and consider both whether the work or training is appropriate in light of the person's incapacity and how, in light of rehabilitation/occupational therapy, it would progress a return to full-time work. In some cases the customer may be required to attend a medical assessment by a Medical Assessor.

Approval for an exemption is provided for a given period which, in cases of part-time employment can be six or twelve months and in cases of CE schemes or FÁS courses is the duration of the course. If the employment or training is to continue beyond the period of the initial approval the person's continuing suitability for an exemption is reviewed. At each review of a person's exemption, the progress of the rehabilitation and occupational therapy is considered by a Medical Assessor of the Department. This process takes into account the customer's observations on how the exemption is facilitating their return to full-time work at some point in the future. A determination is then made as to whether an extension is appropriate.

The Illness Benefit exemptions process is administrative in nature which means that decisions on new applications or further extensions of the exemption cannot be appealed to the Social Welfare Appeals Office. However, if a customer is dissatisfied with a decision on their application or their request for an extension they can request a review which involves referring the case to the Department's Chief Medical Adviser for his consideration. The person has the opportunity at that stage to provide any additional medical evidence or other documents in support of their case.

Exemptions are approved to help improve a person's chances of returning to full-time employment. When a point is reached at which it is considered that the rehabilitative and occupational therapy benefits of the work or training have been exhausted their entitlement to an exemption ceases.