Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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1326.To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) has received a reduced payment on an illness benefit claim; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32242/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The rate of Illness Benefit paid is based on a person's average weekly earnings in the second last complete tax year from which their claim was made. The person concerned had zero earnings in the relevant tax year, and as such they qualified for Illness Benefit at the graduated rate of €104.10 per week.

The person concerned also currently has a debt with the department and, as such, part of his weekly payment goes towards paying this back. This means the amount that issues to him each week is €95.53.

I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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1327.To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection whether paid contributions in Australia by an Irish person who worked in Australia for a period of time can be taken into account when applying for the invalidity pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32244/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Invalidity Pension (IP) is payable to an insured person who satisfies certain Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions and who is permanently incapable of work due to an illness or incapacity and for no other reason.

A person is regarded as being permanently incapable of work if, for the period of 1 year immediately before the date of application, the person had been continuously incapable of work and a deciding officer (DO) or an appeals officer (AO) is satisfied that the person is likely to continue to be incapable of work for at least another year or a DO or an AO is satisfied that the likelihood is that the person will be incapable of work for life.

Claimants for IP must have at least 260 (5 years) paid PRSI contributions (class A, E, H or S) since entering social insurance and 48 contributions paid or credited in the last or second last complete contribution year before the relevant date of their Invalidity Pension claim.

Where a claimant does not have the required contributions for IP in Ireland but has worked in another country outside of the EU with which Ireland has a bilateral social welfare agreement, the contribution record from both countries can be combined in order to meet the contribution requirements for the scheme.

Ireland does have a bilateral social welfare agreement with Australia so the contribution records from both countries can be combined. If the contribution conditions are then satisfied, the rate of IP payable is determined on a pro-rata basis. This means that each country pays a partial pension based on a formula which uses the contribution record from both countries. The applicant will be awarded a pro-rata Invalidity Pension subject to all other conditions for the scheme being met including the medical conditions for IP.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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1328.To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the transition process for a person from disability allowance to invalidity pension when a medical professional has deemed them unfit to continue and-or return to previous or any employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32279/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My Department provides a suite of income supports for those unable to work due to illness or disability. These include insurance-based schemes, based on Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contributions, such as Illness Benefit and Invalidity Pension and means-tested social assistance schemes, such as Disability Allowance and Blind Pension.

The primary disability related social assistance scheme is Disability Allowance, which is a means-tested payment for people with a specified disability who are aged between 16 and 66. In addition to the means test, in order to be eligible, the disability must be expected to last for at least one year. The allowance is also subject to a medical assessment and a habitual residency requirement.

Invalidity Pension, a social insurance scheme, is a weekly payment to people who cannot work because of a long-term illness or disability and who are covered by PRSI contributions. To qualify, the person must have been incapable of work for at least 12 months and be likely to be incapable of work for at least another 12 months; or must be permanently incapable of work.

Eligibility for Invalidity Pension depends on the person’s PRSI record and class. People must have made the required number of contributions in Class A, E, H or S to qualify.

There is no transition process from Disability Allowance to Invalidity Pension as one is a social assistance payment and the other is a social insurance payment and they are both long-term disability income supports.

A person may apply for Invalidity Pension by filling out the application form and will qualify for payment if they satisfy the conditions of that scheme, including medical and PRSI contribution conditions.

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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1329.To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if there is a threshold of income allowed for a person who is a partner in a small medium business (SME) or family farm, who is in receipt of invalidity pension but has no involvement in the running and-or say of the SME or farm due to their permanent incapacitation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32280/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Invalidity Pension (IP) is payable to an insured person who satisfies certain Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions and who is permanently incapable of work due to an illness or incapacity and for no other reason.

Claimants for IP must have at least 260 (5 years) paid PRSI contributions (class A, E, H or S) since entering social insurance and 48 contributions paid or credited in the last or second last complete contribution year before the relevant date of their Invalidity Pension claim.

A person is regarded as being permanently incapable of work if, for the period of one year immediately before the date of application the person had been continuously incapable of work and the person is likely to continue to be incapable of work for at least another year or will be incapable of work for life.

As a person in receipt of IP is deemed permanently incapable of doing all types of work, they should not be involved in any form of paid employment. If they are, they should contact my Department without delay. IP is a contribution based payment and no means test applies to the basic rate payment.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.