Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

241. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a person (details supplied) qualifies for a domiciliary care allowance in respect of her four-year-old child; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6026/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) is a monthly allowance payable to a parent or guardian in respect of a child aged under 16 who has a severe disability that requires continual or continuous care and attention that is substantially over and above the level of care and attention normally required by a child of the same age and where the level of that 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.

Eligibility for DCA is not based entirely on the child's disability or diagnosis but primarily on the impact of the disability in terms of the associated level of care and attention required by the relevant child compared to a child of the same age without their disability.

All applications for DCA are decided by a deciding officer on an individual case by case basis, in respect of the relevant child, based on the personal details provided in the application form (Dom Care 1), including any additional information or supporting documentary evidence if provided by the applicant. The deciding officer has regard to the professional opinion of a departmental Medical Assessor in the decision process in all cases.

In addition to the above medical criteria, the following conditions must be satisfied to qualify for the allowance:

• The child must live at home with the applicant for 5 or more days per week. However, where the child is in residential care but is at home for 2 or more days per week, half-rate DCA may be paid. Children who are receiving care on a full-time basis in residential homes or other institutions are not eligible for DCA.
• The person who is claiming the allowance must provide for the care of the child.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

242. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of eligibility for the fuel allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6028/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Fuel Allowance scheme is a means tested payment to assist pensioners and other long-term social welfare dependent householders with their winter heating costs. Further information and the qualifying conditions for this scheme can be found on www.gov.ie.

According to the records of my department an application for Fuel Allowance has not been received from the person. The person concerned was in receipt of Jobseeker’s Benefit (JB) up to 23/01/2024 when they transitioned to the Working Family Payment (WFP). JB and WFP are not qualifying payments for Fuel Allowance.

My Department may make an Additional Needs Payment (ANP) to help meet essential expenditure which an eligible person could not reasonably be expected to meet from their weekly income. This is an overarching term used to refer to Exceptional Needs Payments (ENPs) and Urgent Needs Payments (UNPs), and certain supplements to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from a person’s own resources, and which are deemed to be necessary. ANPs are administered by Designated Persons in the Community Welfare Service considering the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case.

Assistance was provided to the person concerned in December 2023, when they were awarded an ANP of €300 toward heating costs. If the person is experiencing financial difficulties, they can apply for assistance by completing a SWA1 form which is available in all Intreo Centres and Branch Offices. It can also be requested by calling 0818 60 70 80 and by using this link www.eforms.gov.ie/en/forms/5. On receipt of a completed application form and supporting documentation, the person’s claim will be assessed, and they will be advised of the outcome in writing. Alternatively, if the person concerned has a verified MyGovID account they can apply for an ANP at www.MyWelfare.ie.

I trust this clarifies the matter.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

243. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of eligibility for fuel allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6029/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The person concerned is employed on a Community Employment (CE) Scheme. The Department notified the employer (the CE Sponsor) on 3rd November 2023 that the person was entitled to fuel allowance with effect from 25th September 2023. I understand that the person was paid the allowance weekly from a current date and that arrears were paid in the week beginning 20th November 2023.

The person concerned remains in receipt of fuel allowance on a weekly basis.

I trust this clarifies the matter.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

244. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of eligibility for disability allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6030/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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, means test and Habitual Residency conditions.

I confirm that my Department received an application for DA from the person concerned on 12 October 2023. As their initial application did not contain all the information required for a decision, an information request letter was sent to the person concerned on 23 October 2023 to supply this supporting documentation. The information request allows the person 21 days to provide the required information in order to determine their eligibility for DA. I can confirm that, to date, the requested information has not been received.

As the person concerned failed to supply the requested information, their means could not be determined.

Based on the evidence supplied with the person’s application, her DA was disallowed on the grounds that the medical qualifying condition was not satisfied and failure to provide sufficient information in order to determined that their weekly means do not exceed the statutory maximum allowed under the Disability Allowance scheme.

The person concerned was notified of the decision in writing via correspondence dated 31 January 2024 and advised of their entitlement to request a review or to appeal the decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO). They were also notified of the outstanding documents required to determine means.

I can confirm that no request for a review or an appeal has been received to date.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.