Marc MacSharry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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960.To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of separate applications received for the carer's support grant in 2022 and 2023, by county; the number of applications that were referred for a home visit by a social welfare inspector for both years, by county; the number of applications awarded in both years, by county[34513/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Carer’s Support Grant (CSG) is paid to people in receipt of Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit or Domiciliary Care Allowance. Other people who are not in receipt of a social welfare payment but who are providing full time care and attention to a person may also be eligible and can apply for the grant as a stand-alone 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.

Where an application is referred to a Social Welfare Inspector, that inspector will use his or her judgement as to whether an interview is required in order to establish eligibility. If an interview is required, the inspector will use his or her judgement in relation to the most appropriate location for that interview. Information on the number of home visits carried out by Social Welfare Inspectors is not collated by the Department. Where appropriate, details of the home visits by Social Welfare Inspectors may be included in individual case reports. Statistical information is not available from this source.

In addition to applications received, the stand-alone CSG is also paid to recipients of CSG who were awarded in the previous year, provided they continue to meet the qualifying conditions in the relevant year. Currently these recipients do not need to submit an application form every year.

Please find below the numbers of stand-alone CSG applications received, the numbers of stand-alone CSG applications awarded, the numbers of stand-alone CSG applications referred to Social Welfare Inspectors (including home visits), and the overall total of stand-alone CSG’s awarded for the years 2022 and 2023 per county.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.