Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Fine Gael)
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1782. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if there will be changes to sick pay in the next budget; if she will examine the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37151/17]

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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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. One of the PRSI conditions is that a person must have a minimum of 39 reckonable contributions paid or credited in the governing contribution year. Claims made in 2017 are governed by the 2015 tax year, and only PRSI Classes A, E, H, and P are reckonable for Illness Benefit purposes.

The person concerned made a claim to Illness Benefit and this claim was received in my Department on 20 July 2017. This claim was disallowed as the person concerned does not satisfy the above contribution criteria. According to my Department’s records the person concerned has no reckonable contributions or credits for the 2015 year.

The person concerned has been notified of this decision.

If the person concerned is unable to meet their needs or the needs of their household, they may be entitled to Supplementary Welfare Allowance and should contact their local Intreo centre.

The PRSI contribution conditions governing entitlement to Illness Benefit are statutory and cannot be either waived or modified in any particular case.Any amendments to the qualifying conditions for the scheme would have to be considered in the light of available resources.

Final decisions have not been taken in respect of any Budget matters.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.