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 7 May 2018. The Deciding Officer decided that the person concerned satisfied the means test and was providing full time care and attention to the care recipient. CA was awarded and paid for the period 17 May 2018 to 3 April 2024.

I can confirm that an application for CA was received from the person concerned on 26 February 2024 for a different care recipient. This application was referred to a local Social Welfare Inspector (SWI) on 29 February 2024 to assess the level of care being provided, assess means and confirm that all the conditions for receipt of CA were satisfied.

On foot of the SWI report, the DO decided that although the person concerned is providing a certain amount of care, the level involved did not amount to full-time care for this care recipient. Therefore, this application from the person concerned for CA was disallowed.

The person concerned was notified on 17 April 2024 of this decision, the reasons for it and of their right of review and appeal.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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314. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of times persons living in County Galway in receipt of carer’s allowance had their allowance stopped, in each of the past ten years and to date in 2024. [20546/24]

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.

Please find attached a table containing the number of times persons living in County Galway in receipt of CA had their allowance stopped, in each of the past ten years and to date in 2024.

A payment for CA may stop if a customer no longer meets the eligibility criteria for the scheme. This may follow a notification from the customer or be the result of a review of eligibility initiated by my Department.

The following are examples of some of the reasons that would result in a CA payment being stopped:

• The person requiring care has been admitted to a Nursing Home / Hospital
• The carer is no longer providing full time care
• The carer has returned to work in excess of 18.5 hours per week
• The carer failed to supply the required information to establish continued entitlement to CA
• The carer or the care recipient is deceased
• The means of the carer are in excess of the statutory limit
• The carer is no longer resident in the state
• The care recipient no longer meets the medical criteria

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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315. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons in County Galway, who, having been refused the disability allowance, were successful in their appeals of her Department’s decision to refuse, in each of the past ten years and to date in 2024. [20547/24]

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 below table shows a breakdown of the number of disability allowance appeals from persons living in County Galway at the time of their appeal. The table provides the total number of DA appeals finalised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office and the number of those appeals that resulted in a successful outcome in each of the past ten years and to date in 2024.

The below shows the percentage of successful appeals of persons living in Co. Galway relative to the total numb 10 years to date in 2024 The below shows the percentage of successful appeals of persons living in C

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.