Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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123. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) cannot receive a payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59583/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The person concerned submitted an application for disability allowance (DA) on 18 January 2022. Their application, based upon all the evidence submitted, was refused as her means exceed the statutory maximum allowed under the DA scheme.

The person concerned was notified in writing of this decision on 27 May 2022 and was also notified of their right to request a review of this decision or to appeal it to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO).

An appeal was lodged with the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO).

On 19 August 2022 the SWAO notified us that the original decision was upheld and the appeal was disallowed. The person concerned was notified directly by the SWAO regarding their appeal.

An Appeal Officer’s decision is final and conclusive in the absence of any fresh facts or evidence. It is open to the person in question to reapply for DA.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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124. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will provide clarification regarding eligibility and receipt of the one-off payments announced in budget 2023; if a person can be in receipt of several lump sum payments, for example, if one person receives the lump sum payment for disability-related supports and the lump sum payment for carers or the lump sum fuel allowance payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59623/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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In response to the ongoing cost of living pressures, I announced on Budget Day that my Department will spend approximately €1.2 billion on social welfare measures to help individuals and families through this difficult period.

These measures include an Autumn Double Payment, which was paid in mid-October to over 1.4 million people, including pensioners, carers, people with disabilities, lone parents, and jobseekers. This was followed by a double payment of Child Benefit on 1st November, which was paid in respect of 1.2 million children across the State.

During the week commencing 14th November, my Department paid a range of cost of living supports, which included:

- A €400 lump sum payment to over 370,000 households in receipt of Fuel Allowance;

- A €500 lump sum payment to 44,000 families receiving the Working Family Payment;

- A €500 Disability Support Grant to 216,000 recipients of Disability Allowance, Blind Pension and Invalidity Pension; and

- A €200 lump sum payment to the 234,000 recipients of the Living Alone Allowance.

The following week my Department paid a lump sum of €500 to over 114,000 carers.

I can confirm the Fuel Allowance lump sum will be paid to all Fuel Allowance recipients. A person in receipt of disability related supports and Fuel Allowance will receive one lump sum payment of €500 in respect of their disability related support and one lump sum payment of €400 in respect of their Fuel Allowance payment. If they are in receipt of the Living Alone Allowance, they will also receive the €200 Living Alone Allowance lump sum.

A person in receipt of Disability related supports and an additional Half-rate Carer's payment will receive one €500 cost of living support payment based on their primary payment. Those receiving a weekly carer's payment will also have received the double payment in October 2022 and next week will receive the Christmas Bonus double payment. Persons in receipt of both a primary payment and a half rate payment received a double payment in respect of both payments in October and will do so again next week as part of the Christmas Bonus. In addition, from January, all weekly core payments will be increased by €12 – the largest increase in weekly payments rates since the mid 2000s.

For completeness, I can also inform the Deputy that recipients of the Domiciliary Care Allowance will also receive the €500 carers lump sum and, from January, the monthly Domiciliary Care Allowance Payment will be increased by €20.50 to €330 – the first increase to this payment since 2009.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.