Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 March 2026
629. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will reconsider the decision of his Department to refuse an exemption to a person in receipt of invalidity pension (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16535/26]
View answerInvalidity Pension (IP) is a social insurance payment paid to people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or disability. A qualifying condition for IP is that a person must be regarded as being permanently incapable of work. For this reason, people on this payment are not expected to return to the workplace. However, permission may be granted to do voluntary work while in receipt of IP.
Based on the information provided the person concerned has been granted permission to set up a non- profit making travel website, while remaining in receipt of IP. If there is any significant change in the type of activities involved or in the event that it becomes a commercial endeavor, the person concerned should contact my department They will then have the opportunity to move to Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB).
PCB is a scheme which assists people in receipt of IP to return to employment. In order to recognise and respond to the reality that some people in receipt of IP have a capacity to engage in open market employment while continuing to need to receive some income support from the State. PCB has also been designed so that there are no restrictions or limits on earnings or on the number of hours a person can work. A person moving to PCB will retain their Free Travel Pass for a period of five years.
If a person who is in receipt of PCB becomes ill and is unable to work for a period, they may revert to their underlying scheme of IP.
