Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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279. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason that carer's allowance has been stopped in respect of the daughter of a person (details supplied); when same will be restored; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27152/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Carer's Allowance 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. 

Means include capital and income belonging to the Carer and their spouse, civil partner, or cohabitant, property, (except their own home) or an asset that could generate an income, for example occupational pensions, or pensions or benefits from another country.

One of the qualifying conditions is that the means of the person concerned must be less than the statutory limit.

Once claims are in payment, the Department periodically reviews them to ensure that there is continued entitlement.  Depending on the circumstances in each case and to make best use of resources, a review may only concentrate on a specific condition of entitlement.

Following a recent review, it was determined that the means of the person concerned are greater than the statutory limit. 

Notification issued to the person concerned on 18 May 2022 outlining the current position in regards to their means and affording them the opportunity to furnish any statement or evidence in support of their entitlement before a decision issues.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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280. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will implement both a widening of the eligibility criteria and an increase in the amount paid under the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance given the enormous rise in the cost of living. [27180/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The back to school clothing and footwear allowance scheme provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the costs of clothing and footwear when children start or return to school each autumn.  The scheme operates from June to September each year.

The allowance is payable in respect of eligible children between the ages of 4 and 17 in respect of whom a qualified child allowance is being paid and eligible children between the ages of 18 and 22 who are in full-time second level education and in respect of whom a qualified child allowance is being paid. 

To qualify for the allowance a person must meet a number of conditions, namely: 

- The child must meet the age criteria,

- The applicant must be in receipt of a qualifying payment and getting an increase in that payment for the qualified child (except in certain circumstances) in the period 1 June to 30 September,

- The assessable income for the household must be within prescribed limits,

- The applicant and the child (or children) in respect of whom the allowance is claimed must be resident in the State. 

Following a review of the scheme the income limits for one parent families were increased this year to bring them in line with the income limits for two parent families, widening the eligibility for that cohort of customers.  The income limits were also increased to ensure that the increases in weekly social protection payments rates introduced in Budget 2022 will not negatively impact on an individual’s entitlement to the allowance.

The rates of payment were increased this year by €10 to €160 for children aged 4 to 11 and to €285 for children aged 12 years and over in second level education.

Applications which fall outside the normal rules of the scheme may be considered for exceptional needs payments under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme by the officers administering this scheme in the normal way.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.