Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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441. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) is still waiting on an appeal decision for carer's allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14760/23]

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 of the available evidence, decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision on 14 March 2023. The person concerned has been advised of this appeal decision.

Under social welfare legislation the decision of an Appeals Officer is generally final and conclusive and may only be reviewed by an Appeals Officer in the light of new evidence or new facts, or where there has been a change of circumstances which has come to notice since the date of the Appeals Officer's original decision.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.