Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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412. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a carer's allowance appeal in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26974/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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An application for Carer's Allowance (CA) was received from the person concerned on 14 April 2016.

CA is a means-tested social assistance payment, made to persons who are providing full-time care and attention to a person who has a disability such that they require that level of care.

A person can be considered to be providing full-time care and attention where they are engaged in employment, self-employment or on training courses outside the home for a maximum of 15 hours per week, provided that they can show to the satisfaction of a deciding officer that adequate care has been provided for the care recipient in their absence.

When an applicant or their spouse is self-employed, they are required to submit their latest set of accounts with their application.

The person concerned was requested on 18 July 2016 to provide evidence to show that she was working outside the home for less than 15 hours per week and to provide her spouse’s latest set of accounts from his self-employment.

Social welfare legislation requires that every claimant shall furnish such certificates, documents, information and evidence as may be required for the purposes of deciding the claim and attend at such office or place as an officer may direct.

As the person concerned failed to provide the documents and evidence requested, the deciding officer decided that the person concerned was not entitled to CA.

The person concerned was notified on 5 September 2016 of this decision, the reason for it and of her right of review and appeal.

If the person concerned is prepared to provide the requested information, their entitlement to CA will be re-examined.

The Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO) has confirmed to me that they have no record of an appeal from the person concerned. Should she wish to appeal the decision, she should do so in writing to the SWAO, stating clearly the grounds of her appeal.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.