Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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169. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if half-rate carer's payment will be restored, as a matter of urgency, in the case of a person (details supplied) on a full-time basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17724/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Carer’s allowance (CA) was in payment to the person concerned from 22 January 2015 in respect of one care recipient.

It is a condition for receipt of a CA that the carer must be providing full-time care and attention. A person is deemed to require full-time care and attention (FTCA) where they require from another person continual supervision and frequent assistance throughout the day in connection with normal bodily functions or continual supervision in order to avoid being a danger to themselves.

As part of a review of continuing eligibility for CA, the application was referred to a local social welfare inspector (SWI) on 27 April 2015 to confirm that all the conditions for receipt of CA continue to be satisfied.

Following this review and having considered all the evidence available, a deciding officer (DO) decided that the person concerned was not entitled to CA with effect from 20 April 2016 as she was not providing full-time care and attention as required. This decision creates an overpayment for the period from 21/4/16 to 22/6/16 which is recoverable by my department.

The person concerned was notified on 16 June 2016 of this decision, the reason for it and of her right of review or appeal.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.