Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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249. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her views on the fit for work Ireland initiative; her Department's response to the initiative; the steps taken to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15363/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I welcome the approach being proposed under the “Fit for Work” initiative. Early interventions and developing return to work practices in the case of people with musculoskeletal incapacities is consistent with the Department’s own policy approach to illness/disability income support which aims to reduce the number of people progressing to chronic disability and long-term social welfare dependency.

I should mention that the “Renaissance project” wherein early intervention was shown to reduce the incidence of progression from the acute simple low back pain to chronic disability in 64% of claimants, is an initiative of the Department since 2003,

I would also refer to the partial capacity benefit scheme which I introduced in 2012. This facilitates people who are in receipt of illness benefit or invalidity pension and who wish to take up/resume employment to do so and still retain a portion of their social welfare payment. This scheme is now being reviewed by the Department to examine its effectiveness.

I would also point out that the Department’s Chief Medical Adviser has drafted a set of certification guidelines, setting out defined periods of recovery for common medical conditions (including musculoskeletal disorders) for guidance of GPs and these will be distributed to GPs shortly.