Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 107: To ask the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33551/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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In the case in question, an application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received on 15 March 2011. This application was referred to one of the Department's Medical Assessors who found that the child was not medically eligible for DCA. A letter issued on the 17 May 2011 refusing the allowance. The person concerned subsequently lodged an appeal against this decision. She was informed by the Social Welfare Appeals Office on the 18 October 2011 that the appeal had been disallowed.

The decision/appeal process for this application is now complete. If the person concerned has additional information which was not made available to the deciding officer and appeals officer when they made their decisions, it is open to her to re-apply for the payment.

Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 108: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a social welfare appeal in respect of a person (details supplied). [33554/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the illness benefit claim of the person concerned was disallowed following an examination by a Medical Assessor who expressed the opinion that he was medically unsuitable for the benefit. An appeal was registered on 22 October 2011 and in accordance with the statutory procedures the relevant department papers and the comments of the Social Welfare services on the matter raised in the appeal have been sought. In that context, an examination by another Medical Assessor will be carried out.

The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.

Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 109: To ask the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33563/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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An application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received from the person concerned on the 24th January 2011. This application was referred to one of the Department's Medical Assessors who found that the child was not medically eligible for the allowance. A letter issued on the 10th February 2011 refusing the allowance. The person concerned subsequently lodged an appeal against the decision. She was informed by the Social Welfare Appeals Office on the 23rd July 2011 that the appeal had been disallowed.

The decision/appeal process for this application is now complete. If the person concerned has additional information which was not made available to the deciding officer and appeals officer when they made their decisions, it is open to her to re-apply for the payment.