Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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1134. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of a disability allowance application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30506/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements.

I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all the evidence, disallowed the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision on 4 May 2022.

Under Social Welfare legislation, the decision of the Appeals Officer is final and conclusive and may only be reviewed by the Appeals Officer in the light of new evidence or new facts. I am advised that the person concerned subsequently submitted additional evidence and that the Appeals Officer agreed to review the appeal of the person concerned on foot of this additional evidence. The Appeals Officer has reviewed the case and has decided to convene an oral hearing. Every effort will be made to hear the case as quickly as possible and the person concerned will be informed when arrangements for the oral hearing have been made.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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1135. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if funding or grant assistance is available for a person seeking admission to a private addiction treatment facility such as a facility (details supplied) who is not in a position to afford such treatment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30518/22]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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1136. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of a disability allowance application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30523/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I can confirm that my department received an application for disability allowance (DA) from this person on 14 January 2022.

On 24 February 2022 the person concerned was requested to supply supporting documentation required by the deciding officer in order to make a decision on their eligibility.  This documentation was returned on 9 March 2022.

The person concerned has been awarded disability allowance with effect from 19 January 2022.  He was notified of this decision in writing on 11 March 2022.  He received his first payment by his chosen payment method on 30 March 2022. 

The person concerned was in receipt of another social welfare payment during the period from 19 January 2022 to 29 March 2022.  Consequently, the amount of social welfare already paid required calculation and was deducted from any arrears due.

This process was completed by my department and the correct amount of DA arrears issued to the person in question on 30 March 2022.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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1137. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will consider those on the disability allowance and long-term illness schemes as qualifying payments for the household benefit scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30525/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Household Benefits Package (HHB) comprises the electricity or gas allowance, and the free television licence.  My Department will spend approximately €273 million this year on HHB for over 492,000 customers.  The package is generally available to people living in the State aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of a social welfare type payment or who satisfy a means test. 

The package is also available to some people under the age of 66 who are in receipt of certain welfare type payments.  These qualifying payments are in general long-term disability/illness type payments and includes schemes such as Invalidity Pension, Disability Allowance, Blind Person's Pension and Incapacity Supplement or Workmen's Compensation, with Disablement Pension, for at least 12 months.

Therefore, Disability Allowance is already a qualifying payment for the HHB package, as are the other long-term disability/illness schemes outlined above.

I hope this clarifies the matter.