Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 352: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) is not entitled to illness benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3649/11]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The person concerned was in receipt of illness benefit from 31/5/04 to 24/11/09 when she ceased claiming. She claimed illness benefit again on 23/11/10. This claim is not linked to a previous claim and as such it must satisfy the current qualifying conditions that apply to any new claim for illness benefit. The records of the Department show that, while the person concerned has credited PRSI contributions, she has no reckonable paid PRSI contributions since the 2005 contribution year. She does not therefore qualify for illness benefit. The decision on this claim was made on 1/12/10 and the person concerned was notified shortly thereafter. She is currently in receipt of supplementary welfare allowance at a weekly rate of €245.60 which includes an increase in respect of her two children.

The person concerned qualifies for the award of credited PRSI contributions based on the medical evidence of incapacity for work that she is currently submitting to the Department. These credited PRSI contributions could help to qualify her for the payment of benefit or pension at a future date. If the person concerned returns to work and gains a further 13 reckonable paid PRSI contributions in the current year (2011) and subsequently claims illness benefit this year, she will satisfy the contribution conditions for illness benefit, albeit at a reduced rate.