Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1323.To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the current waiting time to process applications and award a carer’s allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32167/24]

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.

My Department aims to process all applications in a timely and impartial manner in accordance with relevant legislation. The claim processing target for CA is to process 75% of new claims within 10 weeks. We currently process 92% of new claims within 10 weeks. Currently, the average number of weeks to award is 6 weeks, compared to an average of 14 weeks in 2019. At all times, every effort is made to process the application as quickly as possible.

If there is a specific case which the Deputy would like my Department to examine, I will gladly assist.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.