Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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289. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when missing weeks of illness benefit payment due before Christmas 2018 will issue in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3655/19]

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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Medical Certificates for the person concerned were not received until January 2019 and this caused a delay in her Illness Benefit  payments for December. The Department can only pay for periods in which a person is medically certified as unfit for work.

The Department received the medical certificate from the person concerned for the period of 2nd December 2018 - 10th December 2018 on the 10th January 2019. The Department received her certificate for the 10th December 2018 - 17th December 2018 on the 17th January 2019.

She has been fully paid up to the 17th December 2018, which is the date of the most recently received medical certificate. Weekly medical certificates should be submitted as soon as possible after receipt from the certifier.

If the person concerned remains ill and unfit for work, a further medical certificate should be submitted to the Department in order for further payments to issue.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the deputy.