Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal East, Labour)
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1420. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the financial supports that exist for self-employed people who pay PRSI class S who are diagnosed with a serious illness such as cancer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19495/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Social Protection provides a suite of income supports for those who are unable to work due to illness or disability. Entitlement to these supports is generally not contingent on the nature of the illness but on the extent to which a particular illness impairs or restricts a person’s capacity to work.

Invalidity Pension is a social insurance scheme, and eligibility is based on Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contributions and medical condition. 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.

Class A, E, H and S contributions count for Invalidity Pension. Claimants must have 260 weeks of paid PRSI contributions since entering social insurance and 48 weeks of paid or credited PRSI contributions in the last or second-last complete year before the ‘relevant date’ – this is the date of the start of the person’s permanent incapacity for work as determined by the Department.

If a person has insufficient PRSI contributions, they can apply for a social assistance scheme, for example, Disability Allowance.

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

My Department also provides employment supports. In July 2024, my Department launched the Work and Access scheme. This new scheme offers seven supports to help reduce and remove barriers in the workplace for people with a disability. Funding is available for supports such as work coaches, work equipment, and training. Jobseekers, employees, self-employed people and employers may apply for supports both for the business premises and remote workplaces.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal East, Labour)
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1421. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the criteria for the invalidity pension; the length of time the applicant must be out of work to apply; the period of absence by which will be out of work to apply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19496/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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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 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.

The relevant date is:

(a) any date after the completion of one year of continuous incapacity for work, or

(b) any lesser period that may be prescribed, subject to the conditions and in the circumstances that may be prescribed

where the insured person has entered into a continuous period of incapacity for work and he or she is subsequently proved to be permanently incapable of work.

A qualifying condition for IP is that a person must be regarded as being permanently incapable of work.

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 a Deciding Officer or an Appeals Officer is satisfied that the person is likely to continue to be incapable of work for at least another year; or

a Deciding Officer or an Appeals Officer is satisfied that the likelihood is that the person will be incapable of work for life.

Eligibility for IP can only be established on receipt of a completed application form. Applicants for IP must not be working at date of application. There is no specified length of time for which they must have stopped working due to illness before making a claim for the payment.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.