Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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651. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the average processing time for applications for each payment under his Department's remit; if there are any plans to reduce these processing times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51722/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The table below gives the average weeks to award for all main schemes as of July 2025.

My Department understands the many pressures faced by customers and always seeks to ensure that claims are handled quickly and efficiently.

The Deputy will appreciate how processing times can vary across schemes, depending on the differing qualification criteria. Schemes that require a high level of documentary evidence from the customer, particularly in the case of illness-related schemes, can take longer to process. Similarly, means-tested payments can also require more detailed investigations and interaction with the customer, thereby lengthening the decision-making process.

My Department has introduced a wide range of initiatives aimed at streamlining the processing of claims, supported by modern technology in recent years. Operational processes, procedures and the organisation of work are continually reviewed to ensure that processing capability is maximised.

In addition, the staffing needs of my Department are regularly reviewed, having regard to workloads and the competing demands arising, to ensure that the best use is made of all available resources.

I am pleased to report that claim processing is up to date, with processing targets met, or exceeded, on average, for all the main scheme areas.

Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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652. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he or his Department are developing a payment for those self-employed who cannot work over a short-term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51744/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I understand the Deputy has clarified that his question is in relation to providing entitlement to illness benefit to self-employed contributors.

Illness benefit is the primary short term income support provided by my Department to those who are unable to work due to illness of any type and who are covered by social insurance.

Eligibility for illness benefit depends on the person’s PRSI record and class. The person must have made the required number of contributions under class A, E, H or P to qualify. In general, self-employed people make PRSI contributions at class S which does not provide entitlement to illness benefit.

Self-employed people pay contributions to the Social Insurance Fund at a lower rate of 4.1%. This is 11.15 percentage points lower than the combined employer and employee contribution of 15.25% made in respect of employed contributors. However, self-employed contributors do have access to over 90% of benefits available to employed contributors including:

• Adoptive Benefit;
• Benefit Payment for 65 Year Olds;
• Bereaved Partner's (Contributory) Pension;
• Carer’s Benefit;
• Guardian's Payment (Contributory);
• Invalidity Pension;
• Jobseeker's Benefit (Self-Employed);
• Maternity Benefit;
• Parent's Benefit;
• Partial Capacity Benefit (where in receipt of Invalidity Pension);
• Paternity Benefit;
• State Pension (Contributory); and
• Treatment Benefit.