Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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1053. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a decision will issue in relation to a carer's allowance application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44940/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Carer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result 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.

It is also a condition for receipt of a CA that the person being cared for must have such disability 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 continual supervision in order to avoid danger to him or herself and likely to require that level of care for at least twelve months.

The application for CA was disallowed on the grounds that the person concerned was working outside the home for more than 15 hours per week and that the evidence submitted did not indicate that the requirement for full-time care was satisfied.

The person concerned requested a review of this decision and submitted additional evidence to support her claim with respect to establishing that her care recipient requires full time care and attention.

A request for additional information issued on 25 October 2018 to the person concerned in respect of the number of hours they are currently working.

Once the required information has been received and a decision made, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.