Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 318 and 319 together.

My Department provides a suite of income supports to those who cannot work due to illness or disability, including COVID-19 and long COVID. Eligibility for these payments is generally not dependent on the type of illness or disability but on the extent to which a particular illness or disability impairs or restricts a person’s capacity to work.

Illness benefit is the primary income support provided by my Department to those who cannot work in the short term due to illness of any kind and is funded by the Social Insurance Fund through the payment of Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contributions. Eligibility for illness benefit depends on the person’s PRSI record and class and only contributions made under classes A, E, H or P count toward this payment. Illness benefit is payable for up to two years, dependent on satisfying the eligibility conditions. Additional payments may be made in respect of a qualified adult and qualifying children.

The two main long-term disability income support payments are invalidity pension and disability allowance.

Invalidity pension is a social insurance scheme paid from the Social Insurance Fund. Eligibility is based on 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.

Disability allowance is a weekly allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged 16 or over and under the age of 66. This disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to a medical assessment, means test and habitual residence conditions.

People who are ill but do not qualify for other illness or disability schemes may apply for means tested supports through the additional needs payment under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme to help meet essential expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. This includes certain supplements to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from a person’s own resources and are deemed to be necessary.

The payment is available to anyone who needs it and qualifies, whether the person is currently on a social welfare payment or in employment. The payment amount will depend on a person’s weekly household income, their outgoings and the type of assistance needed. Payments are made at the discretion of the Community Welfare Officers administering the scheme, considering all the circumstances of the case.

The statutory criteria for occupational injuries benefit specify that the disease or injury was caused as a risk of the person’s occupation and?is not a risk outside of that profession.

In November 2023, I published and laid a report before the Oireachtas entitled "A Report on Measures to include Long COVID in the Occupational Injuries Benefit Regulations." This report concluded that COVID-19 does not satisfy the criteria for recognition as an occupational illness under the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005. Specifically, presumptions about workplace transmission would not be sustainable on a general basis. Community transmission became dominant by the summer of 2020.? Therefore, it has not been possible since then to establish with confidence a general assumption that the disease has been contracted through their occupation?and not through community transmission.

Recognition of COVID-19 in Ireland as an occupational illness under the occupational injuries benefit scheme would only apply to new claims for new cases of COVID-19 – it would not benefit those who contracted COVID-19 during the pandemic.

The report found that the Temporary Scheme of Paid Leave for Public Health Service Employees was the appropriate channel through which a targeted sectoral support should be considered. This Temporary Scheme has been extended a number of times, most recently in April 2024 when the Minister for Health was granted a further final extension of 3 months beyond the 31 March end-date to facilitate conciliation. Employees impacted by the conclusion of the Scheme may utilise the full provisions of the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme which will provide further support.

My Department will continue to keep its range of supports under review to ensure that they meet their overall objectives. Any changes to the current system would need to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.