Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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1028. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if it is permissible for a person in receipt of invalidity pension to engage in farming in the context of such work being rehabilitative; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20046/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Invalidity Pension is a social insurance payment paid to people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or disability. It is based on a claimant's social insurance contributions and the personal rate of payment is not means tested. Expenditure on Invalidity Pension amounted to approximately €730 million in 2021.

A qualifying condition for Invalidity Pension is that a claimant must be regarded as being permanently incapable of work. For this reason, people on this payment are not expected to return to the workplace.

However, permission may be granted to do rehabilitative or voluntary work while in receipt of Invalidity Pension. This might apply if the person in question intends to help out at a farm occasionally with no payment in return. Written permission must be obtained first from the Invalidity Pension section prior to starting such voluntary work. Permission is granted on a case-by-case basis.

If the person in question intends take up paid employment or self-employment, they will need to transfer to Partial Capacity Benefit. The Department will carry out a medical assessment to review their level of incapacity as moderate, severe and profound. The corresponding levels of payment are €104, €156 and €208 respectively. People can earn any amount and work as many hours as they wish. People may not take up work until they have received written approval from the Department.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.