Dan Neville (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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94. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the status of an application under the illness benefit scheme by a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44907/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Illness benefit is a payment for people who cannot work due to illness and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions. The PRSI conditions are that a person must have a minimum of 39 reckonable contributions paid or credited in the tax year governing the claim. Claims made in 2015 are governed by the 2013 tax year and only Classes A, E, H, and P contributions are reckonable for illness benefit purposes.

An application for illness benefit from the person concerned was made from 20 Oct 2015. According to the records of the department the person concerned has no contributions paid or credited in 2013. Illness benefit, therefore, could not be paid.

Disability Allowance is a weekly allowance for people with a disability aged between 16 and 66. The disability must be expected to last for at least one year. The person concerned must pass a medical exam, a means test and be habitually resident in Ireland to satisfy the conditions for receipt of this allowance.

No application for disability allowance has been received in my department from the person concerned to date. Further information on disability allowance is available on my department’s website .

The person concerned is currently in receipt of supplementary welfare allowance.