John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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844. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will review the claim of a person (details supplied) to determine if they are in receipt of the correct benefit at the maximum rate and if they are entitled to other benefits; and she will provide a record of their contributions. [28409/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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State pension non-contributory is a means-tested payment for people aged 66 and over, legally and habitually residing in the state, who do not qualify for a state pension contributory, or who only qualify for a reduced rate contributory pension based on their social insurance record.

The person concerned is in receipt of state pension non-contributory. Based on their assessed weekly means, they are entitled to a reduced-rate pension (together with a living alone increase, telephone support allowance, and a fuel allowance (payable during the winter season)).

Following receipt of correspondence from the person concerned on 11 April 2023, a review of their state pension non-contributory entitlement was undertaken. A Deciding Officer has recently completed their review and decided that the person’s pension entitlement remains unchanged and that they are receiving the correct weekly payment rate. The person concerned also continues to receive their household benefits package and is therefore receiving all social welfare benefits payable.

On 8 June 2023, the person was notified in writing of the outcome of their state pension non-contributory review and of their right to request a review of the decision, or to appeal the decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office.

A copy of the person’s social insurance contribution record has been requested and will issue to the customer in the coming days.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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845. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a person (details supplied) is entitled to a State pension (contributory) based on their contributions and recent application; and if their record of contributions will be provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28472/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The person concerned made an application for a State Pension Contributory on 3 September 2018. It was determined that they had an entitlement to this payment with a yearly average of 24 social insurance contributions at a rate of €207.10.

At the time of their application, the person was in receipt of the Increase for a Qualified Adult allowance on their spouse's State Pension Contributory. As the rate of this weekly payment was €218.00 it was more beneficial to the customer that they continue on this payment.

The Increase for Qualified Adult allowance payment has recently been reviewed and this review has resulted in a reduction in the rate of payment.

If the person now wishes to have State Pension contributory awarded to them, they should write to our pension office at the Department of Social Protection, Social Welfare Services Office, College Rd, Sligo, F91T384, and their application will be reviewed.

I have arranged for a copy of the person's social insurance record to issue to them.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the deputy.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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846. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the progress to date in the of eligibility for a carer's allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28473/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Carer's Allowance is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care.

Once claims are in payment, my Department periodically reviews them to ensure that there is continued entitlement and, if so, that the customer is in receipt of the correct rate of payment.

My Department is currently conducting a means review of recipients of full rate Carer's Allowance payment where a significant period of time has elapsed since the last review of their means occurred.

Means are any income belonging to the carer and their spouse, civil partner, or cohabitant, property, (except their own home) or an asset that could bring in money or provide them with an income, for example occupational pensions, or pensions or benefits from another country.

The means test for Carer's Allowance is one of the most generous in the Social Protection System. Currently, €350 of gross weekly income is disregarded in the calculation of means for a single person; the equivalent for a person who is married, in a civil partnership, or cohabiting is €750 of combined gross weekly income.

In the case of the person concerned, a means review was initiated in February 2023. The outcome of this means review, based on the information available to the Deciding Officer, determined that the person concerned had assessable means of €38.84 once the current disregard of €350 was applied. This resulted in a new rate of €203.50 effective from 22 June 2023.

The person concerned was notified on 9 June 2023 of this outcome, the reason for it and of their right of review and appeal.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Child Benefit is a universal monthly payment made to families with children up to the age of 16 years. The payment continues to be paid in respect of children until their eighteenth birthday who are in full-time education, or who have a disability. Estimated expenditure on the scheme will be approximately €2.1 billion in 2023.

The €100 Child Benefit bonus payment is payable in respect of all qualified children for the month of June. The payment of €100 per child was paid on the first Tuesday of this month, the sixth of June.

Child Benefit for children aged 16 and 17 in full-time education is paid on the basis that their attendance is certified by the school or college they attend. The school or college certifies the child’s attendance up to the end of the school year, which, in the case of those children doing State exams, would include the month of June.

Child Benefit ceases in the month of a child’s eighteenth birthday regardless of their education status thereafter. Therefore, any Leaving Certificate student under the age 18 as of the first of June would remain a qualified child for the purposes of Child Benefit for the month of June, and the additional payment of €100 would have been paid in respect of that child.

There are currently no plans to extend Child Benefit in respect of post-primary students who are over 18 years of age. Such an extension would have significant cost implications and would have to be considered in an overall budgetary context. Families on low incomes may be able to avail of a number of social welfare schemes that support children in full-time education until the age of 22, including:

• Increase for a Qualified Child (IQCs) with primary social welfare payments;
• the Working Family Payment for low-paid employees with children; and
• the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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848. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a decision on a treatment benefit application by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry will be re-examined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28560/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Treatment Benefit Scheme provides dental, optical and aural services to insured workers, the self-employed, retired people and their dependent spouse/partner who have the required number of social insurance (PRSI) contributions.

The person concerned does not qualify for treatment benefit in her own right as she paid a class of PRSI contribution which is not reckonable for treatment benefit.

She cannot be considered for Treatment Benefit under her spouse's social insurance record as her weekly income exceeds the limit.

I trust this clarifies matters for the deputy.