Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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224. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason a social welfare payment to a person (details supplied) was stopped in August 2017; and if the payment can be reinstated as soon as possible. [48415/17]

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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Illness Benefit is payable to persons who are incapable of work due to illness and who satisfy certain PRSI contribution conditions. During the course of a claim a person can be referred for examination by one of my Department’s Medical Assessors to ascertain if the medical conditions for receipt of the payment continue to be satisfied.

The person concerned is in receipt of Illness Benefit since 21 January 2016 and was due to attend an examination by a Medical Assessor on 21 August 2017. He did not attend the examination. Payment of Illness Benefit was, accordingly, suspended in respect of the period from 1 September 2017 to 2 November 2017. He was subsequently referred for further examination and was found eligible for receipt of Illness Benefit. Payment of benefit was resumed from 3 November 2017.

The disallowance of Illness Benefit from 1 September 2017 to 2 November 2017 has been reviewed and payment for this period is being re-instated.