John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

579. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if a carer's allowance payment in the case of a person (details supplied) will be backdated to 13 August 2015 as stated in correspondence dated 16 March 2016; if her department will acknowledge this decision as a departmental error; and if the repayment being demanded by her department will be set aside in view of the overall circumstances of the case. [30863/17]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

An application for carer's allowance (CA) was received from the person concerned on 10 August 2015 in respect of his wife who is his care recipient.

The application was awarded on 10 March with effect from 13 August 2015 and the first payment issued to his nominated post office on 7 April 2016.

The person concerned was notified on 10 March 2016 of this decision, the reason for it and of his right of review and appeal.

Net arrears amounting to €556.00, due for the period from 13 August 2015 to 6 April 2016 were paid to the person concerned on 13 April 2016. In accordance with social welfare legislation, any overlapping payments made to him during this period, in this case jobseeker’s allowance, were deducted from the gross arrears.

The wife of the person concerned was previously in receipt of a carer’s allowance in her own right to provide care for another person. Social Welfare legislation prohibits a person from receiving carer’s allowance as a carer while another person is receiving carer’s allowance in respect of them as a care recipient.

As the wife of the person concerned continued to claim a carer’s allowance from 12 August 2015 to 21 October 2015, an overpayment occurred. She was notified on 3 June 2016 of this overpayment, the amount in question and the reason for it and of her right of review and appeal.

No appeal was lodged in relation to this overpayment and deductions commenced on 16 August 2016 from her weekly supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) in recovery of the debt owing. She subsequently applied for and was awarded a disability allowance (DA) in her own right. Weekly deductions are currently being made her DA payment to recover the outstanding debt. These deductions will continue until the amount owing to the Department is paid in full.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.