Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The person concerned was in receipt of Occupation Injury Benefit from the 19th April 2018 to the 17th October 2018, at which point his entitlement under this scheme exhausted.

The person concerned was then assessed for Illness Benefit. However he did not qualify for payment as he did not have enough PRSI contributions in the relevant tax years. In order to qualify for Illness benefit a person must have 39 PRSI contributions paid or credited the relevant 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 from before the claim is made.

The person concerned qualifies for Illness Benefit payment from the 7th January 2019 as he now has the enough PRSI contributions in the relevant tax year, which changes on that date, to qualify for payment. He is now paid up to 16 January 2019 as that is the date on his most recent medical certificate.

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

I trust this clarifies the matter for the deputy.