Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

48. To ask the Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive a decision regarding their illness benefit application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40766/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

To qualify for illness benefit the person concerned needs to satisfy certain statutory insurance contribution conditions, one of which requires that the person concerned has at least 39 PRSI contributions either paid or credited in the 2012 contribution year. This condition can also be satisfied if the person concerned has 26 contributions paid in 2012 and a further 26 paid in the previous year i.e. 2011.

According to the Department’s records she has only 24 paid contributions in the 2012 year and as such would not qualify for payment.

The person concerned has provided details of further paid contributions with another employer in the 2012 year. However before these contributions can be taken into account, it is necessary to make further enquiries into the matter. These enquiries are proceeding at present and, when completed, the claim will be reviewed and the person concerned will be notified of the outcome.

If the person concerned is in need of financial support while awaiting a decision on her claim she may be entitled to supplementary welfare allowance. The person concerned can apply for supplementary welfare allowance to the Department's community welfare service at her local Intreo office or local health centre.