Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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297. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a response has been received from the United Kingdom in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Donegal who has applied for illness benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7972/18]

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 2018 are governed by the 2016 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 registered in my Department on 9 January 2018. According to my Department’s records the person concerned does not have the required amount of contributions for the 2016 year.

However, the person concerned indicated on the application form that they had contributions in the United Kingdom. This record was requested by my Department on 30 January 2018. Unfortunately, these requests take approximately 3-4 months. When this record has been received the matter will be dealt with immediately and the person concerned will be notified.

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.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.