Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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1498. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will review applications for carer's allowance (details supplied). [35286/17]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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It is a condition for receipt of a carer’s allowance and benefit and the carer’s support grant that the person being cared for must have a disability whose effect is that they require full-time care and attention.

This is defined as requiring from another person, continual supervision and frequent assistance throughout the day in connection with normal bodily functions or continuous supervision in order to avoid danger to him or herself and likely to require that level of care for at least twelve months in the case of carer’s allowance.

The application process is designed to provide a deciding officer with sufficient information to enable them to determine the applicant’s entitlements. The current application form seeks information in relation to mental health/behaviour, learning and intelligence as well as questions about physical disabilities.

There are no additional requirements placed upon carers in respect of the provision of evidence relating to the type of illness or disability which may be involved in their particular case; rather, in all cases, customers may be asked to provide details of the particular condition or conditions which have led to the care recipient requiring full-time care and attention.

The application forms for carer’s allowance and carer’s benefit are currently being reviewed and officials from my Department have engaged with Family Carers Ireland (FCI) and are scheduled to attend a FCI workshop in September with focus groups of carers for people with various disabilities. The feedback from these groups will inform the redesign of the application forms.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.