Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 137: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if her attention has been drawn to the case of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin whereby through an anomaly, bureaucracy and a delay in processing their case, they are not entitled to qualify for the half rate carer's allowance, even though they have passed the means test for same in view of the fact that there are persons in a similar situation claiming such an allowance and being able to work 19 hours per week; the pro-active measures that will be taken to sort out this anomaly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4446/10]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Budget 2007 provided for new arrangements whereby people in receipt of a social welfare payment, other than carer's allowance or benefit, who are also providing someone with full-time care and attention, can retain their main welfare payment and receive a half rate carer's allowance. Similarly, people currently in receipt of a carer's allowance, who may have an underlying eligibility for another social welfare payment, can transfer to that other payment and continue to receive up to a half-rate carer's allowance. The person concerned is in receipt of Carer's Allowance since 5 August 1999. She never applied for or received Deserted Wives Allowance or Deserted Wives Benefit. To qualify for half rate Carer's Allowance a person must have a current entitlement to another qualifying welfare payment. As the person concerned does not have a current entitlement to another qualifying welfare payment, she does not have an entitlement to half rate Carer's Allowance.