Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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441. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she plans to review the conditions for the invalidity pension (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36221/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My Department provides a suite of income supports for those who are unable to work due to an illness or disability, both social insurance and means tested schemes. Invalidity Pension, a social insurance scheme, is a weekly payment to people who cannot work because of a long-term illness or disability who are covered by PRSI contributions. In order 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.

Partial Capacity Benefit is a scheme which extends the Illness Benefit and Invalidity Pension schemes to recognise and respond to the reality that some people in receipt of these payments have a capacity to engage in open market employment while continuing to need to receive some income support from the State. People in receipt of Invalidity Pension or Illness Benefit (the latter for a minimum of 26 weeks) who wish to return to work are eligible for Partial Capacity Benefit if their capacity for work is reduced as a result of their medical condition.

The personal rate of payment of Partial Capacity Benefit is based on a medical assessment of a person’s restriction regarding their capacity for work. After the medical assessment, if a person's disability is rated as moderate, severe or profound their payment continues at 50%, 75% or 100% per cent of their existing rate, respectively. If assessed as mild, they will not qualify for Partial Capacity Benefit.

Partial Capacity Benefit has been designed so there are no restrictions or limits on earnings from employment or on the number of hours a person can work.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.