Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)
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728. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) has been waiting since March 2020 for a decision to be made on their appeal for a carer’s allowance; and the length of time they will have to wait. [22091/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Carer's benefit (CARB) is a PRSI based payment, made to persons who are providing full-time care and attention to a person who has such a disability that they require that level of care.

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 person concerned applied for CARB on the 6 February 2020 and the evidence submitted in support of this application was examined and the deciding officer decided that this evidence did not indicate that the requirement for full-time care was satisfied for the care recipient.

The person concerned was notified on 12 March 2020 of this decision, the reasons for it and of his right of review and appeal.

An appeal request was received in March 2020.

On reviewing the claim for appeal submission, the Deciding Officer examined all of the evidence on hand. Based on this evidence the Deciding Officer found that the care recipient fulfills the requirement of needing full time care and has consequently overturned the original disallowance of the claim.

The person concerned has now been awarded CARB from 12 March 2020 and a decision letter issued has issued to him.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.