Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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968. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason, in circumstances in which persons become blind and receive illness benefit and the blind person's pension, and when the illness benefit expires, they move onto invalidity pension but they lose the blind person's pension even though they still continue to be blind; the reason the blind person's pension is payable to some blind persons and not to other blind persons; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7717/20]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Blind Pension is a means-tested payment for blind and visually impaired people between the ages of 18 and 66 who are habitually resident in Ireland. The payment is made up of a personal rate and extra amounts for a qualified adult and any child dependents.

Invalidity Pension is a pension paid to people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness. It is based on a claimant's social insurance contributions and is not means tested. To qualify for award of Invalidity Pension a claimant must satisfy both PRSI contribution and medical conditions.

In general, the social welfare system operates on the principle of one payment per person. There are some exceptions to the multiple payments rule in the case of the Blind Pension. Where a person is under age 66 and satisfies the relevant conditions, they may also qualify for the following short-term social welfare payments:

- Adoptive Benefit

- Half-rate Carer’s Allowance

- Health and Safety Benefit

- Illness Benefit

- Injury Benefit

- Jobseeker’s Benefit

- Maternity Benefit

- One-Parent Family Payment (until youngest child is 16)

- Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s Contributory and Non-Contributory Pension

Any change to these arrangements would have to be considered in the overall policy and budgetary contexts.

It is important to note that a blind or visually impaired person may also apply for Blind Welfare Allowance (BWA). The Blind Welfare Allowance is a means-tested payment from the Health Service Executive (HSE) to people who are blind or visually impaired. The allowance is paid to eligible people from 18 years of age.