Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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850. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a decision will be made on a carer's application by a person (details supplied) who is providing full-time care for both their parents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30659/21]

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.

An application for CA was received from the person concerned in respect of her parents on 30 April 2021.

CA was awarded to the person concerned in respect of both care recipients on 2 June 2021 with effect from 6 May 2021. The first payment will issue to her nominated bank account on 10 June 2021. Arrears of allowance due from 6 May 2021 to 9 June 2021 have also issued.

The person concerned was notified on 2 June 2021 of this decision, the reason for it and of her right of review and appeal.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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851. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of families in receipt of monthly child benefit payments, per county, in each of the past three years, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30695/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The below table details Child Benefit recipients by county for the period January 2018 to May 2021 inclusive.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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852. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 666 of 28 April 2021, her plans to defer the 13-week requalification period in respect of persons on partial capacity benefit until after the end of the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions in view of the financial difficulties endured by many as a result of the pandemic; the analysis her Department has carried out of the financial cost of such a deferral; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30698/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Persons in receipt of Invalidity Pension or Illness Benefit (the latter for a minimum of 26 weeks) who wish to return to work are eligible for Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB) for a period if their capacity for work is reduced as a result of their medical condition.

The personal rate of payment of PCB is based on a medical assessment of a person’s restriction regarding their capacity for work and whether the person was in receipt of Illness Benefit or Invalidity Pension (i.e. their existing rate of payment). After the medical assessment, if a person's restriction on their capacity for work is assessed as moderate, severe or profound their payment continues at 50, 75 or 100 per cent of their existing rate, respectively. If assessed as ‘mild’ they will not qualify for PCB.

The duration a person can be in receipt of PCB is linked to the payment they moved from, subject to a maximum of 156 weeks.

In the case of Illness Benefit, the maximum duration of the payment is 624 payment days (104 weeks) and this applies for PCB (less the 26 weeks required to be eligible for the scheme). In the case of Invalidity Pension the maximum duration of 156 weeks applies.

The Department contacts customers 13 weeks in advance of the end date of the payment duration period and the correspondence issued outlines options for the customer to consider prior to the payment ceasing.

Where a person completes their allowed period on PCB, a new application can be made. The application must meet all the eligibility criteria including, in the case of persons in receipt of Illness Benefit, the requirement to have completed 26 weeks in receipt of the payment. I have no plans at this stage to change this requirement, which I consider a proportionate requalification period for a payment of up to three years in duration.

Apart from the above, my Department also provides support under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, for people who finds themselves in financial difficulties. The Department may also make an exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet from their weekly income.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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853. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons in the moderate, severe and profound categories of illness who have started their 13-week requalification period for the partial capacity benefit in each of the months from March 2020 to May 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30699/21]

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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854. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons who successfully transferred from partial capacity benefit to supplementary welfare allowance or another social welfare payment for the duration of their 13-week partial capacity benefit requalification period in each of the months from March 2020 to May 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30700/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 853 and 854 together.

Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB) allows individuals with a reduced capacity for work to return to employment or self-employment. In order to qualify, the person must be in receipt of one of two underlying schemes: Illness Benefit or Invalidity Pension.

People in receipt of Invalidity Pension or Illness Benefit (for a minimum of 6 months) who wish to return to work are eligible for PCB if their capacity for work is reduced as a result of their medical condition.

The duration a person can be in receipt of PCB is linked to the scheme that they have moved from. In the case of a person previously on Illness Benefit, the maximum duration of the 624 payment days applies, while customers who were previously in receipt of Invalidity Pension may be paid PCB for a maximum of 156 weeks.

Once the above periods have elapsed the customer may make a new application for PCB.

A claimant should apply for PCB before commencing work and must provide the Department with a start date for the employment before payment commences. As part of the approval process, the claimant is assessed by a Medical Assessor (MA) of the Department. The personal rate of payment is based on the medical assessment of the person’s restriction regarding their capacity to work. An MA may determine that the restriction on the person’s capacity to work is mild, moderate, severe or profound. Where the restriction is moderate, severe or profound, the claim is conditionally approved for 50%, 75% or 100% respectively of the person's existing rate of payment. Where a person’s capacity to work is mildly restricted, the claim is refused.

The Department does not have available the data as requested by the Deputy. The following table does, however, provide the breakdown of MA opinions for the period from March 2020 to May 2021. Not all of those assessed take up employment or become a PCB recipient. The Department does not record information regarding level of capacity on the recipient’s claim.

For the period requested, 5% of applicants for PCB who were medically assessed were found to have a mild restriction on their capacity to work; 78% of applicants were found to be moderately affected; 15% were severe, and 2% were profound.

PCB Opinion by Incapacity Level from March 2020 - May 2021

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.