Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 14 January 2026
110. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the entitlements to benefits without means testing survivors of the Hepatitis C scandal have; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2642/26]
View answerMy Department has over 140 schemes and services, a significant number of which are means tested schemes. Social welfare legislation provides that means tests take account of the income and assets of the person (and their spouse or partner, if applicable) applying for the relevant scheme.
Means tests are kept under regular review and a number of significant changes have been made in recent years.
Social welfare legislation provides for the disregard of certain compensation awards when assessing the means of a person. These disregards include, for example, all income derived from payments awarded by the Hepatitis C and HIV Compensation Tribunal, the Residential Institutions Redress Board and payments made in relation to disability caused by Thalidomide. In addition, ex gratia payments made to women who were admitted to and worked in the Magdalen Laundries, or through the Symphysiotomy Payment Scheme, or payments made by the Minister of Health in accordance with recommendations proposed by the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme are also disregarded.
As a result, any sums received from compensation awarded –
(i) by the Hepatitis C and HIV Compensation Tribunal,
(ii) by a court of competent jurisdiction to compensate certain persons who have contracted Hepatitis C or Human Immunodeficiency Virus within the State from the use of Human Immunoglobulin Anti-D, whole blood or other blood products,
will be disregarded in the means test for social protection payments.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
