Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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43. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the waiting time for carer’s payments applications and for a review of decisions relating to same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40145/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My Department is committed to providing a quality service to all its customers, ensuring that applications and reviews are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made as quickly as possible.

The average number of weeks to award Carers Allowance and Carers Benefit at the end of October 2020 stood at 4 weeks, the lowest level on record.

Steps to improve claim processing times were implemented in 2019 and have resulted in significant improvements. In 2019 the average number of weeks to award a new Carer's Allowance claim was 14 weeks and Carer's Benefit was 11 weeks; compared to in 2018 the average number of weeks to award was 17 weeks for Carer's Allowance and 12 weeks for Carer's Benefit. In 2020 the average number of weeks to award Carer's Allowance is 7 weeks and Carer's Benefit is 6 weeks.

Carer's Allowance reviews take place in a number of circumstances as follows:-

- If the decision on a new claim is negative the customer has the option of a review.

- Once claims are in payment, my Department undertakes periodic reviews as part of its control strategy to ensure that there is continued entitlement.

- A customer can at any stage request a review of their entitlement.

Reviews are carried out arising from customer requests, together with reviews undertaken by the Department. The numbers of these reviews are not maintained.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.