Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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504. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of an appeal for carer's allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); the reason eligibility for the person has been denied on the basis of full-time care requirement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34809/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, 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.

I confirm that my department received an application for Carer’s Allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 10 June 2020.

Additional information in relation to the person’s financial information was requested by a Deciding Officer (DO) on 15 June 2020. Following receipt of information received from the person concerned it was determined that the matter should be referred to a local social welfare inspector (SWI) to assess the level of care being provided, assess means and confirm that all the conditions for receipt of CA are satisfied.

On foot of the SWI report the DO decided that although the person concerned is providing a certain amount of care, the level involved did not amount to full-time care. Therefore, her application for CA was disallowed.

The person concerned was notified on 9 October 2020 of this decision, the reasons for it and of her right of review and appeal.

The person concerned requested a review of this decision on 19 October 2020 and submitted additional evidence in support of her application.

Following this review the decision has remained unchanged.

The person concerned was notified on 22 October 2020 of this decision, the reason for it and of her right of appeal.

To date the person concerned has not appealed the decision of 22 October 2020 to the Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO).

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.