Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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597. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a person (details supplied) will receive payment; the reason for the delay in same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47692/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Illness Benefit (IB) is a payment for people who cannot work due to illness and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions.  

The person concerned was advised by letter dated 9th October 2018 that he was not entitled to payment of IB as he does not satisfy all of the contribution conditions.  

Although the person concerned satisfied the first PRSI contribution qualifying condition, unfortunately, he does not satisfy the second PRSI  qualifying condition which is as follows:

- 39 weeks of PRSI contributions paid or credited in the relevant tax year, of which 13 must be paid contributions. If a person does not have 13 paid contributions in the relevant tax year, then 13 paid contributions in one of the following tax years can be used instead:

- Either of the two tax years before the relevant tax year

- The last complete tax year (before the year in which your claim for Illness Benefit begins)

- The current tax year

or

- 26 weeks of PRSI contributions paid in the relevant tax year, and26 weeks of PRSI contributions paid in the tax year immediately before the relevant tax year.

The relevant tax year is the second-last complete tax year before the year in which your claim for Illness Benefit begins.

The person concerned has no paid or credited contributions in the relevant PRSI contribution year which is 2016. 

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.