Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Of course I am concerned about any genuine cases being refused. That is why applicants can request a review and it is why they can also go to the appeals office. Applicants do go to the appeals office and have the decision changed.

What is particularly different about the appeals system in Ireland relative to that in other countries is we allow applicants to introduce new information on appeal which is not the norm in other jurisdictions. Applicants have the opportunity to apply, get a review and appeal. Therefore, there are adequate checks and balances in place to ensure genuine cases are looked after.

Obviously, a person must qualify under the means test. I mentioned to the Deputy earlier that the means test is the least onerous in the social protection system. A person qualifies with an income of nearly €60,000. If that person has been paying PRSI, he or she can qualify for carer's benefit without any means test at all, and regardless of whether he or she paid PRSI, that person can qualify for the carer's support grant without any means test.

The second test, beyond the means test, is whether the person requires full-time care and attention, and that is largely a medical assessment. It requires that the person is so incapacitated as to require continuous supervision to avoid a danger to himself or herself, or continuous supervision and frequent assistance throughout the day in connection with normal bodily functions, and that he or she is so incapacitated as to be likely to require full-time care and attention for a period of at least 12 months.

See this speech in context