Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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617. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if long-Covid will be considered for inclusion on the list of prescribed diseases for the occupational injuries benefit scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53311/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Social Protection operates the Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme which is a group of benefits for people injured or incapacitated by an accident at work or while travelling directly to or from work. The scheme also covers people who have contracted a disease as a result of the type of work they do. There are a number of benefits available and there are different conditions attached to each benefit. The benefits include: Injury Benefit, Disablement Benefit, Incapacity Supplement, Constant Attendance Allowance and the Medical Care Scheme.

Covid-19 does not constitute a prescribed disease or illness as set out in the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005. Section 87 (2) of the Act states that a disease or injury shall be prescribed for the purposes of this section in relation to any insured persons, where the Minister is satisfied that—

(a) it ought to be treated, having regard to its causes and any other relevant considerations, as a risk of their occu­pations and not as a risk common to all persons, and

(b) it is such that, in the absence of special circumstances, the attribution of particular cases to the nature of the employment can be established or presumed with reason­able certainty.

I do not intend adding Covid-19 or people suffering long-term effects of Covid-19 to the list of prescribed diseases as they do not meet the criteria as laid down in the Act.

It should be noted that my Department provides a suite of income supports for those who are unable to work due to an illness or disability. Entitlement to these supports is not contingent on the nature of the illness/disability but on the extent to which a particular illness or disability impairs or restricts a person’s capacity to work.

In a case where a person continues to be ill with Covid-19 beyond 10 weeks, standard Illness Benefit may be paid for an extended period, based on the person’s continued eligibility. Illness Benefit is the primary income support payment for people who are unable to attend work due to illness of any type. Additional payments may also be made in respect of a qualified adult and qualifying children. My Department spent a total of €4.7 billion on illness, disability and caring payments in 2020.

Apart from these income supports, my Department also provides means tested supports under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme for people who are ill but who do not qualify for Illness Benefit. The Department may also make an exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet from their weekly income.

I trust this clarifies the matter.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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618. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a carer’s allowance application by a person (details supplied) will be expedited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53350/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Carer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care.

An application for CA was received from the person concerned on 25 August 2021.

A person can be considered to be providing full-time care and attention where they are engaged in employment, self-employment or on training courses for a maximum of 18.5 hours per week, provided that they can show to the satisfaction of a deciding officer that adequate care has been provided for the care recipient in their absence.

Additional information was requested on 17 September 2021 by a deciding officer regarding her rate of pay and hours of employment, with a reminder letter issuing on 11 October 2021

Upon receipt of the requested information the application for CA was disallowed on the grounds that person concerned was working for more than 18.5 hour per week.

The person concerned was notified on 19 October 2021 of this decision, the reason for it and of her right of review and appeal.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.