Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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289. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection in relation to invalidity pension, if a change has taken place with regard to the application criteria from ‘incapable to work for the following 12-month period’ to ‘incapable to work permanently’; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18094/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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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, and means-tested social assistance schemes.

Invalidity Pension is a weekly payment to people who are regarded as being permanently incapable of work because of a long-term illness or disability and who are covered by PRSI contributions.

To qualify, a person must satisfy both medical and social insurance (PRSI) conditions.

The medical criteria has not changed: a 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.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.