Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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598. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to set out the savings to the State annually when access to a sick leave payment changed from three days to six days; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49333/17]

Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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599. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to outline her plans to make changes to the number of days off work required for a person to access a sick leave payment in view of the fact that the current situation leaves a person exposed in the event of sickness; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49334/17]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 598 and 599 together.

The projected full-year annual savings of extending the number of “waiting days” for Illness Benefit from three to six was €22 million when the measure was introduced in 2014.

I have no current plans to change the number of waiting days further. In the event that a person experiences financial difficulty during the waiting period, he/she may apply for the means tested supplementary welfare allowance scheme through the local Intreo service.