Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein)
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573. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the options available to those workers suffering with effects of long Covid and currently availing of special leave with pay for Covid-19 when this scheme comes to an end on 30 June 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32630/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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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. These include contributory payments, based on PRSI contributions, such as Illness Benefit and Invalidity Pension, and non-contributory payments, based on a means test, such as Disability Allowance.

Entitlement to these supports is contingent on the extent to which a particular illness or disability impairs or restricts a person’s capacity to work. It is not dependent on the nature of the illness or disability.

Every application for the Department's schemes is individually assessed, in line with the provisions specified in the relevant social welfare legislation. Assessment is based on the medical information provided by healthcare providers and the claimant and taking into account the opinion of the Department’s Medical Assessor.

Illness Benefit is a short-term social insurance scheme. It is available for up to two years for people who have the required social insurance contributions. A GP must submit a Certificate of Incapacity to Work to the Department.

Invalidity Pension is a longer-term social insurance scheme, based on PRSI contributions and medical condition. 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.

Disability Allowance is a longer-term social assistance scheme for people who are aged between 16 and 66. In order to qualify, the person must satisfy a habitual residency condition, a means test and meet the medical requirement. The medical requirement for Disability Allowance is that the person's disability must be expected to last for at least one year, and the disability must substantially restrict a person’s ability to work.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.