Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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287. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) in receipt of carer's allowance has received a significant reduction of payment following a review; if the person can be reassessed with a view of restoring the full payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28459/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Carer's Allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment, made to a person who is providing full-time care and attention to a person who has a disability such that they require that level of care. The Department periodically reviews claims in payment to ensure that there is continued entitlement.

CA is in payment to the person concerned since 7 October 1999 and a review was carried out in 2014. As part of that review the matter was referred to a local social welfare inspector (SWI) on 26 March 2014 to assess the level of care being provided, assess means and confirm that all the conditions for receipt of carer’s allowance continue to be satisfied.

The outcome of this review is that her weekly means, from her husband’s self-employment, were found to have increased from when she originally applied for CA.

Accordingly, her weekly payment was reduced from 6 November 2014.

The person concerned was notified on 6 November 2014 of this decision, the reason for it and of her right of review and appeal.

The person concerned requested a review of this decision and the outcome was that there was no change. The person concerned was notified of this on 7 September 2015.

If the person concerned wants her entitlement reviewed, she should submit her husband’s latest set of accounts. A review will then be initiated and the person concerned will be notified of the outcome.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.