Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
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157. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a person (details supplied) will be facilitated with a care support grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26756/21]

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.

The Carer’s Support Grant (CSG) is an annual payment for carers who look after a person in need of full-time care and attention. CA recipients automatically qualify for the CSG, on the first Thursday in June each year where they have an entitlement to CA on that date.

Where a care recipient dies, there is a continued payment of CA for 12 weeks after the death.

CA was awarded to the person concerned on 3 November 2020 with effect from 22 October 2020. The person’s care recipient died on 8 March 2021, and therefore he is in receipt of CA in respect of his care recipient up until Wednesday, 2 June 2021. This date includes the 12 weeks after death payment.

As the person’s CA is not in payment on the first Thursday in June this year there is no entitlement to the 2021 CSG grant.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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158. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a review of the case of a person (details supplied) can be carried out; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26794/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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An application for the Carer’s Support Grant (CSG) was received from the person concerned on 29 July 2020.

A person may apply for CSG in any given year 8 weeks before the date on which the grant is payable and up to 31 December the following year. To qualify for CSG, a carer must be providing full-time care to the care recipient for a continuous period of at least six months and this period must include the first Thursday in June.

As the conditions were satisfied for the 2019 grant, it was awarded and payment of €1,700 issued to the person concerned. The application for the 2020 grant was disallowed on the grounds that the person concerned was not providing care on the first Thursday in June, 2020 as the person she was caring for passed away on 23 May 2020. The person concerned was notified of both decisions on 10 November 2020 and informed of her right of review and appeal.

The person concerned requested a review and an appeal of the decision.

She was notified by the Department, on the 03 December 2020, that on review the original decision was upheld. On 12 April 2021 the Social Welfare Appeals Office notified the person concerned that her appeal was disallowed.

Under Social Welfare legislation, the decision of an Appeals Officer is final and conclusive and may only be reviewed in the light of relevant additional evidence or new facts.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.