Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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263. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the Government will reintroduce the enhanced Covid sick pay scheme of €350 per week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59964/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Act 2020 (No 1 of 2020) introduced amendments to the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 to provide for special arrangements (including an enhanced rate payable at €350 per week) for the payment of Illness Benefit to those who are diagnosed with Covid-19 by a medical practitioner or who are a probable source of infection.

Enhanced Illness Benefit provided an incentive for employed and self-employed workers to self-isolate if they had Covid-19 or if they had symptoms and to comply with public health advice.

The Government decided on 1 June 2021 that Enhanced Illness Benefit would remain in place until the spread of Covid-19 was no longer a significant risk to public health. Regulations contained a sunset clause that allowed for the discontinuation of the scheme after a specified date. This date was extended a number of times by Government Order; the latest extension expired on 30 September 2022.

Much has changed since the provisions were introduced in March 2020. The development of and successful roll-out of the vaccination programme led to a significant reduction in the public health risk. The Government announced the phased ending of restrictions from 22 January 2022. The Department of Health advised that, in line with the transition out of the emergency phase of the pandemic, the proposal to provide Illness Benefit for Covid-19 in a manner similar to that of any other infectious disease was an appropriate one.

In view of the changed public health situation, the government decided on 20 September to discontinue the provision of Enhanced Illness Benefit after 30 September 2022. For the above reason, I am not planning to reintroduce the Covid-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit payment.

This Department provides a suite of income supports to those who cannot work due to illness or disability of any type. It is important to note that entitlement to these supports is generally not dependent on the nature of the illness or disability but on the extent to which a particular illness or disability impairs or restricts a working age person’s capacity to work. These supports include Illness Benefit (short-term payment) and Disability Allowance and Invalidity Pension (long-term payments).

With regard to additional supports, this Department also provides Additional Needs Payments under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme to help meet essential expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. This includes exceptional and urgent needs payments, and certain supplements to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from a person’s own resources and are deemed to be necessary. The payment is available to anyone who needs it and qualifies, whether the person is currently on a social welfare payment or in employment.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.