John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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503. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if an invalidity pension will be approved for a person (details supplied); and if a positive decision will be expedited. [42692/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Invalidity pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and for no other reason and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions.

My Department received a claim for IP for the person concerned on 8 January 2024. Her claim was refused on 23 January 2024 on the grounds that she is not medically suitable for the scheme. Upon request, the decision was referred to the Social Welfare Appeals Office and an Appeals Officer allowed her appeal on 4 October 2024.

While the individual concerned is now medically suitable for IP, she must also meet all other qualifying conditions for this payment. A deciding officer (DO) wrote to her on 10 October 2024 asking her to provide a letter from her accountant or from Revenue confirming the date any self-employment that she may have been engaged in ceased. The DO also sought clarity on certain categories of PRSI contributions on her social insurance record which relate to self-employment. To date, the DO has not received this information. Upon receipt of same, the IP claim will be finalised and the DO will be in direct contact with the person in question with a decision on her claim.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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504. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of including people who qualify under class M (pensioners) under the treatment benefit scheme. [42700/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The PRSI system plays a fundamental and supportive role in our society. For the PRSI contributions they make, employees and self-employed workers receive benefits for time spent out of employment during periods of unemployment, illness, or maternity, for example, and upon retirement from the workforce.

People with a 'nil' PRSI contribution liability are recorded as Class M. These are:

• employees under age 16,

• people of pensionable age (66 years and over) who were previously liable for Class S,

• persons in receipt of occupational pensions (on that portion of their overall income only),

• Class K contributors with nil PRSI liability as their income is below the threshold of over €5,200 per year.

Class M entitles a person, in certain cases, to occupational injuries benefits only. There are on average approximately 450,000 people recorded with a Class M contribution every year. Some of these persons will also have PRSI contributions at other classes based on other types of income.

The treatment benefit scheme provides certain dental, optical, and medical appliances benefits to insured workers, the self-employed and retired people who have the required number of relevant PRSI contributions.

A person whose social insurance record consists solely of Class M contributions is not eligible for treatment benefit. However, it is possible to qualify on the basis of being an eligible person’s dependent spouse or partner.

It should also be noted that:• A person with Class M contributions may have other incomes that are liable to a different PRSI classification (for example Classes A or S) which may entitle them to treatment benefit. • If a person qualifies for the scheme between the ages 60–65 inclusive, they keep their entitlement to the scheme for life.

The treatment benefit scheme is available to over 2.5 million contributors who pay PRSI contributions. The expenditure for this scheme in 2022 was some €128 million. Extending the scheme to persons whose social insurance records consist solely of Class M contributions would increase the expenditure substantially, without any income being received from such individuals. It is not possible to provide an accurate estimate of the extent of the additional cost without detailed analysis, including taking account of the fact that some persons with Class M contributions also have other classes of contributions that entitle them to treatment benefit.

Any change to the treatment benefit scheme would have to be considered in a budgetary context, taking account of the current economic circumstances and with a view to the sustainability of the Social Insurance Fund.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.