Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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266. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to provide an update in respect of a carer's allowance payment in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33246/23]

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.

Once Carer's Allowance claims are in payment, the Department periodically reviews them to ensure that there is a continued entitlement. In this case, a means review was initiated by the Department on 21 February 2023, as records indicated that the person concerned had commenced employment on 9 December 2022. The matter was referred to a local Social Welfare Inspector on 31 May 2023 to assess all means and to confirm that all the conditions for the receipt of CA are satisfied.

On 22 June 2023, the Social Welfare Inspector requested the person concerned to submit a number of documents. To date, these documents remain outstanding.

Once the requested items have been received and the Social Welfare Inspector has completed their report, a decision will be made at the earliest possible date and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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267. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to provide an update in respect of an appeal for a carer's allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33247/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions.

The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered on the 27th June 2023. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought.

When these papers have been received from the Department, the case in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if necessary, hold an oral appeal hearing.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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268. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of eligibility for an exceptional needs payment in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33254/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme, my Department may make Additional Needs Payments (ANPs) to help meet expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income. Items for which an ANPs may be provided include:

• the increased cost of heating and electricity,
• essential repairs to property and replacing household appliances and furniture,
• assistance with deposits for private rented accommodation,
• furniture, bedding and other items if you are setting up a home for the first time,
• funeral costs,
• recurring travel expenses such as for hospital appointments or visiting relatives in hospital or prison, or
• assistance with immediate needs such as food, clothing and accommodation expenses following an emergency event such as a house fire.

• ABHAILE is the national mortgage arrears resolution service. It is provided free of charge to people in home mortgage arrears at risk of losing their home. ABHAILE is focused on providing expert financial, insolvency and legal advice aiming to put in place solutions and wherever possible enable the borrower to remain in their home.
• The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS), under the aegis of the Citizens Information Board, provides support free of charge to people, in particular those on low incomes or living on social welfare payments, with money advice, budgeting, tackling debt and mortgage related debt. MABS offer support online, over the phone and in person.
• In collaboration with MABS, the Banking and Payments Federation of Ireland (BPFI) has launched a new online resource, DealingWithDebt.ie. which provides information for customers on the best action to take if they are experiencing financial difficulties that may impact their ability to meet their mortgage or other repayments.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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269. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of an appeal against a decision to refuse the invalidity pension for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33255/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions.

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 8th June 2023. 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, 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 am advised that the person concerned has submitted additional evidence and that the Appeals Officer has agreed to review the case. The person concerned will be contacted when the review of his appeal has been finalised.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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270. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of an application for carer's allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); whether any further information is outstanding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33262/23]

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.

An application for CA was received from the person concerned on 17 May 2023. Following a review of their application, additional supporting information was requested by a Deciding Officer on 23 May 2023.

The person concerned contacted my Department on 27 June 2023 to say they were sending information by post on that day. Once this information is received, the application will be processed without delay and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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271. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the current status of the working family payment for a person (details supplied); when a decision will be made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33263/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Working Family Payment (WFP) is a weekly in-work support which provides an income support for employees on low earnings with children. To qualify for Working Family Payment, the customer must be working a minimum of 38 hours per fortnight in ongoing insurable employment and have at least one qualified child who normally resides with them.

An application for WFP has been received by the department from the person concerned. This application was examined by a deciding officer and further information was requested on 17th May 2023. The additional information has not yet been received by the Department. A second request for the required information issued on 3rd July 2023.

When the requested information is received, a deciding officer will review the claim and the person concerned will be advised in writing of the decision and, if awarded, any payments owed will be issued as arrears to their nominated bank account.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.