Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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722. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of a carer’s allowance application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14993/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 14 April 2020. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. These papers were received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 12 May 2020.

The Appeals Officer to whom the appeal was referred has engaged in correspondence with the person concerned in relation to their case. The Appeals Officer is now in a position to make a summary decision on the appeal in the near future.

The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.