Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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84. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason that an application for carer's allowance has been refused in the case of a person (details supplied) in respect of their daughter who has type 1 diabetes and for whom they care on a full-time basis given that evidence of same has been provided; if the decision to refuse the application will be reviewed given the level of care provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46124/22]

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.

I confirm that my department received an application for Carer’s Allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 24 May 2022.

Additional information in relation to the person’s employment was requested by a Deciding Officer (DO) on 31 May 2022. A reply to this information request was received on 2 June 2022.

The application was also referred to a local social welfare inspector (SWI) on 31 May 2022 to assess the level of care being provided, assess means and confirm that all the conditions for receipt of carer’s allowance are satisfied.

On foot of the SWI report, the DO decided that although the person concerned is providing a certain amount of care, the level involved did not amount to full-time care. Therefore, the application for CA was disallowed.

The person concerned was notified on 1 July 2022 of this decision, the reasons for it and of their right of review and appeal.

The person concerned requested a review of this decision on 14 July 2022 and submitted additional evidence in support of their application.

Following this review the decision has remained unchanged.

The person concerned was notified on 31 August 2022 of this decision, the reason for it and of their right of appeal to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.