Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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398. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will indicate the number of people who qualify for the carer’s support grant and how many of these receive it automatically because they are already in receipt of a carer’s payment or domiciliary care allowance; how many qualify through a specific application for the grant and whether she has made any estimate of the numbers of eligible families who may overlook applying for this entitlement. [2693/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The annual Carer’s Support Grant (CSG) is paid to people in receipt of Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit or Domiciliary Care Allowance.

People who are not in receipt of one of these social welfare payments but who are providing full-time care and attention may also be eligible and can apply for the grant as a standalone payment. The payment is made regardless of the carer's means but is subject to certain conditions, one of which is that the period of full-time care and attention must last for at least six months. For the purpose of approving this grant, this period of care must include the first Thursday in June.

The CSG is currently payable at a rate of €1,850.

Please find below a table which set out the number of CSG's paid at the end of 2023.

There are no estimates available of the numbers of eligible families who may overlook applying for this entitlement. However, the Department publishes information leaflets as widely as possible and advertises changes of legislation in the National Press. Information Officers are available throughout the country for people to make enquiries as to their entitlements.

I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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399. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will indicate the number of persons in receipt of the household benefits package who receive this along with their social welfare entitlement and the number who apply separately for them without having an entitlement to a weekly social welfare payment; if she has any estimate of the numbers over 70 years of age on non-social welfare payments who may be entitled to the payment, but do not apply. [2694/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Household Benefits Package (HBP) comprises of the electricity or gas allowance, and the free television licence. Only one Household Benefits Package is payable per household. For those aged 70 or over, the HBP is not means tested and there is no requirement to be getting a qualifying payment. For those aged 66 years or over, the HBP may be payable to those who are getting a social welfare payment, or who satisfy a means test. The HBP is also available to some people under the age of 66, who are getting certain qualifying social welfare payments.

At the end of 2023, the records of my Department indicate that the HBP was in payment to some 523,000 recipients. Of these 523,000 recipients, 335,000 were over 70 and in receipt of a social welfare payment and 27,000 were over 70 and not in receipt of a social welfare payment.

It is difficult to estimate the number of people aged over 70 who may be entitled to the HBP, but have not applied. For example, some over 70's may be living with another person who is already in receipt of the HBP, some may not be resident in the State on a full-time basis, or some may be living in residential care settings.

It is open to any person to apply for the HBP. This can be done online at MyWelfare.ie or by submitting an application form to my Department. Application forms are available to download on gov.ie or at any Intreo Centre or post office.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein)
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400. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection for further information regarding the case of a person (details supplied [2720/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The General Register Office (GRO) are responsible for maintaining the register of births in Ireland. The register contains the particulars of all births occurring in the State and in certain exceptional circumstances, births that occurred outside the State to children of an Irish Citizen. A birth certificate for a person can only be issued from the register if there is an entry for the person in the register of births.

There is no record of an entry for Mr McLoughlin in the register of births. It appears that Mr McLoughlin was born in Belgium and there would have been no requirement for the particulars of his birth to be recorded in the register of births maintained by the GRO.

The Department of Foreign Affairs are responsible for issuing a Certificate of Freedom to Marry and may better able to assist in these circumstances.

I hope that this is of assistance to the Deputy.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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401. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the current status of the disability allowance means review for a person (details supplied), and when she could expect the payment to increase; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2811/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Disability Allowance (DA) is a weekly allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged 16 or over and under the age of 66. This disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to a medical assessment, a means test and Habitual Residency conditions.

My Department received correspondence from the person concerned on 7 November 2023, requesting a review of their DA rate of payment due to a change in the person's circumstances.

Based on the information received, the claim was referred to a Social Welfare Inspector (SWI) for a report on the customer's means and circumstances, to enable a decision on the appropriate rate of DA payable.

Once the SWI has submitted their report to the DA section, a decision will be made on the requested review and the person concerned will be notified of the outcome.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Independent)
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403. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason a child was refused to domiciliary care allowance (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2859/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) is a monthly allowance payable in respect of a child aged under 16, who has a severe disability requiring continual or continuous care and attention substantially over and above the level of care and attention normally required by a child of the same age and the level of the child's disability is such that the child is likely to require this level of care and attention for at least 12 consecutive months. This level of care and attention must be required to allow the child deal with the activities of daily living.

To qualify for DCA, it must be established in the decision and assessment process or appeal process (where applicable) that the child has a severe disability requiring continual or continuous care and attention substantially in excess of the care and attention normally required by a child of the same age, without their disability/diagnosis.

DCA decisions and assessments are based on the information provided by the applicant in the application process, including any additional supporting documentary (medical) evidence if provided, such as medical professional report(s), diagnostic assessment report(s) or otherwise.

It is important to note that the onus is on the applicant to provide relevant documentary evidence/information if/when available, for consideration.

An application for DCA in respect of the child concerned was received by my Department on 19 April 2022. A deciding officer disallowed their claim as per decision dated 2 June 2022. Based on the information provided, the child was not considered to satisfy the conditions for DCA. This determination also considered the supporting medical evidence (GP signed details in application form) that was provided by the applicant.

The deciding officer had regard to the professional opinion of a departmental Medical Assessor in the decision process.

The person concerned requested a review of the deciding officer's decision and also appealed the decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO).

The SWAO functions independently of my department and appeals officers are independent in their decision making role.

Following a review of the application in respect of the child concerned, including all information and evidence available at the time of the original decision and all further information provided in support of the applicant's review request and appeal, a deciding officer decided not to revise the original decision as per further decision dated 29 July 2022.

Further to the person's appeal to the independent SWAO, an appeals officer decided to disallow their appeal, via a summary decision, as per appeal decision dated 10 January 2023, on the grounds that the applicant had not provided sufficient evidence to establish that the relevant child satisfies the conditions for DCA, as provided for in legislation.

According to my Department's records, the person concerned subsequently requested a review of the appeals officer's decision under Section 317 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act and provided further new additional information in their review request, for re-consideration by the appeals officer.

Following a re-examination of their appeal case, via an online oral hearing requested by the person concerned, under Section 317 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, including the further additional information and evidence provided in support of their review request, the appeals officer decided not to revise the appeal decision on the grounds that there was no additional information / documentary evidence presented to render the original decision erroneous, as per further appeal decision dated 16 October 2023.

The appeals officer concluded that the person concerned had not provided sufficient (medical) evidence in order to establish that the child concerned has a severe disability that requires continual or continuous care and attention which is substantially in excess of the care and attention normally required by a child of the same age and that the level of that disability is such that that the child is likely to require this level of care and attention for at least 12 consecutive months, as provided for in legislation.

The appeals officer also noted in their decision, that the applicant is awaiting a formal diagnostic assessment report to date, in respect of the child concerned.

It is open to the applicant to forward any further new or additional evidence and/or relevant information directly to the SWAO, if/when available, such as a medical professional/specialist's report(s) or a diagnostic assessment report(s), for re-consideration by the appeals officer under Section 317 of the Social Welfare Act.

Alternatively, it is also open to the applicant to re-apply for DCA in respect of the child concerned and include any further new or additional (medical) evidence or relevant information that becomes available, for consideration.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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404. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of recipients of disability allowance and State pension (contributory) as of December 2023; and the total spend on each payment in December 2023. [2951/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The number of persons in receipt of Disability Allowance at the end of December 2023 was 162,351 and expenditure for the month of December was €199,650,525.

The number of persons in receipt of State Pension Contributory at the end of December 2023 was 506,723. Expenditure on State Pension Contributory for the month of December was €818,858,449.