Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)
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639. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that a person (details supplied) has being waiting for a decision on a carer's allowance application since March 2018; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2813/19]

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.

The matter was referred to a local social welfare inspector (SWI) in July 2018 to assess the level of care being provided, assess means and confirm that all the conditions for receipt of carer’s allowance are satisfied.

In August the SWI wrote to the person concerned requesting further information. A reminder issued later that month.

The person concerned attended a meeting with the SWI in November 2018 and stated he had submitted the requested documents, however my Department have no record of receiving same.

The SWI has afford the person concerned another opportunity to furnish these documents and is to meet with him on Monday 21 January 2019 to finalise same.

Once the SWI has reported on this, a decision will be made and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.