Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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606. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of a full entitlement to illness benefit for a person (details supplied). [41995/19]

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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The person concerned is in receipt of Illness Benefit at a weekly rate of €159.00 per week.

The rate of Illness Benefit payment is based on a person's weekly earnings in the governing contribution year; for claims made in 2019, that year is 2017. As the person concerned had weekly earnings in 2017 between €220.00-€299.99, he qualified for Illness Benefit at a rate of €159.00 per week.

Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance is a weekly allowance paid to people who do not have enough income to meet their needs and those of their families.  Application of means assessment for SWA is provided for in Section 196 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005.  If a person's weekly income is below the Supplementary Welfare Allowance rate for their family size, a payment may be made to bring their income up to the appropriate Supplementary Welfare Allowance rate which is €201.00.

The person concerned qualified for an additional payment of €42.00 per week of Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance, which along with his Illness Benefit payment brings his weekly income up to the SWA rate of €201.00.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.