Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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The Department has not received an application for Disability Allowance from the person concerned.

However, the person concerned did apply for Illness Benefit from May 2019. She did not qualify for payment as she did not satisfy the PRSI contribution conditions.

In order to qualify for Illness Benefit a person must have 39 weeks of PRSI contributions paid or credited in the relevant tax year at the appropriate class, or 26 weeks of PRSI contributions paid in the relevant tax year, and 26 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 which the claim is made. For claims made in 2019, that year is 2017.

The person concerned had only 18 contributions in 2017, which means she did not qualify for payment. She can continue to provide medical certificates for the duration of the period in which she is unfit for work in order to receive PRSI credited contributions.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.