Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

141. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the eligibility of a person (details supplied) under the illness benefit scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19979/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Illness benefit is a payment for people who cannot work due to illness and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions. One of the conditions is that a person must have a minimum of 39 reckonable contributions paid or credited in the governing contribution year. Claims made in 2016 are governed by the 2014 tax year and only PRSI Classes A, E, H, and P are reckonable for illness benefit purposes.

The person concerned is self-employed and has PRSI contributions at Class S in the 2014 tax year. As Class S contributions are not reckonable for illness benefit purposes the person concerned does not qualify for payment of this benefit.

A person who does not qualify for illness benefit may apply for supplementary welfare allowance or disability allowance subject to the qualifying conditions being met.

Further information on these schemes is available on my Department’s website

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.