Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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14. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her plans to reverse the decision to not allow any payment for the first six days of illness; if she is aware of the impact this has on those who do not receive sick pay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4789/16]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Illness benefit, the social welfare payment in question, is funded by the Social Insurance Fund (SIF), through the payment of social insurance contributions by workers.

The SIF is central to Ireland’s system of social protection and there is a fundamental requirement that it should be protected for current and future generations. The SIF operates on a “pay as you go” basis, with the Exchequer acting as residual financier of the fund when there is a shortfall between contributions received and benefits paid.

In a difficult economic environment such as Ireland faced in the recent past, the choices facing Government in order to ensure the sustainability of the Fund were to either increase the rate of contributions or reduce benefits, and in this instance, the decision was made to increase the number of “waiting days” to qualify for illness benefit from three to six.

Many employees receive their salaries when out sick where their employers have occupational sick pay arrangements in place, but where this is not the case and employees have an income need to cover the short period until illness benefit becomes available, they can claim supplementary welfare allowance.