Marie Sherlock
Question:750. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection if long Covid and associated incapacity to work is recognised by his Department as eligible grounds for invalidity pension. [33981/26]
View answerTuesday, 12 May 2026
Questions (750)
Written answers
Invalidity Pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and for no other reason and who satisfy the pay-related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions.
A person is regarded as being permanently incapable of work if:
• For the period of 1 year immediately before the date of application the person had been continuously incapable of work and a Deciding Officer or an Appeals Officer is satisfied that the person is likely to continue to be incapable of work for at least another year, or
• A Deciding Officer or an Appeals Officer is satisfied that the likelihood is that the person will be incapable of work for life.
• All applicants for IP must also satisfy the qualifying contribution conditions for the scheme.
• Claimants must have at least 260 (5 years) paid PRSI contributions (class A, E, H or S) since entering social insurance and 48 contributions paid or credited in the last or second last complete contribution year before the relevant date of their Invalidity Pension claim.
• The relevant date is:
(a) any date after the completion of one year of continuous incapacity for work, or
(b) any lesser period that may be prescribed, subject to the conditions and in the circumstances that may be prescribed where the insured person has entered into a continuous period of incapacity for work and he or she is subsequently proved to be permanently incapable of work.
All applications for IP, for whatever medical condition, will be given due consideration by my Department and will be processed in accordance with the regulations and operating guidelines for the scheme.
The medical condition from which an applicant is suffering is not the sole defining criteria for determining eligibility for the payment. It is rather how the medical condition impacts on the person’s ability to undertake all types of work. An applicant may be suffering from several different medical conditions each of which may be contributing to the person’s inability to undertake work.
Eligibility for IP can only be established on receipt of a completed application form. Any person who suffering from long-covid and is incapacitated for work can apply for IP.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.