Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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353. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the case of a person (details supplied) who has a shortfall on their PRSI contributions will be examined; if there are schemes they should have been entered into as a result of their circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13108/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The person concerned has been in receipt of Disablement Benefit since 25 December 1987.

Disablement Benefit is a compensatory payment for the loss of physical or mental faculty as a result of an occupational injury or prescribed occupational disease. Disablement Benefit is paid whether the recipient is engaged in full-time employment/self-employment or whether they are receiving social welfare income supports. As Disablement Benefit is not an income support, it does not attract social insurance credits.

Disability Allowance (DA) is a means-tested payment for people with a specified disability whose income falls below certain limits and who are aged between 16 and are under 66.

I can confirm that my department received an application for DA from the person concerned on 31 January 2023. They were deemed to be eligible for DA effective from 1 February 2023, the first Wednesday following receipt of the application. Their payment was not backdated on award as this was not sought by the person concerned.

DA applications may be backdated in cases where good cause for the delay in making a claim can be shown to the satisfaction of a deciding officer or an appeals officer. This backdating period cannot exceed 6 months, as provided for in social welfare legislation.

If the person concerned wishes to make an application for backdating they may do so, in writing, clearly stating the grounds for not having made the application at the earlier date and the matter will be considered by a deciding officer. If it is deemed appropriate to backdate in this case, it will not be possible to backdate the DA further than 6 months from the date of award.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.