Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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62. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if documentation can be located and a decision be made on an application for domiciliary care allowance (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37972/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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In line with other Social Protection schemes, Carer's Allowance, including any related or underlying  payment such as Carer's Support Grant or Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA), is subject to review to ensure that all qualifying conditions for receipt of payment(s) continue to be met.

The Carer's Allowance (CA) claim for the person concerned was under review by my Department.  Further to that review, a Deciding Officer wrote to the person on 5 March 2024 to advise that their underlying DCA claim in respect of their child was also under review.  Further to the above communication, a Deciding Officer decided as per review decision dated 26 March 2024, that the person concerned was not entitled to DCA payment, effective from 29 February 2024, on the grounds that it could not be determined if they continued to satisfy the eligibility conditions for receipt of their DCA payment.  The claimant had failed to provide information that had been requested by a departmental official on 14 February 2024, in relation to a review of their claim(s).

I can confirm that my Department subsequently received correspondence including documentation from the person concerned and that this correspondence was received in my Department's CA scheme area on 20 May 2024. 

Further to receipt of the above correspondence, a review of the decision on the CA claim was undertaken by a Deciding Officer, as per decision dated 5 June 2024 and the person concerned was notified of that further decision in writing on 5 June 2024.  This review resulted in no change to the original decision .

On the 9 September 2024, correspondence was received from the person concerned regarding the status of their DCA claim/payment.  I can confirm that further to this correspondence, a review of the claimant's DCA claim has now been undertaken. Following that review, a Deciding Officer decided as per decision dated 19 September 2024 to reinstate their DCA payment with effect from 1 March 2024 and the person concerned was notified of that review decision in writing on 19 September 2024.

The CA claim is still with the Appeals office for an Appeals officer decision. 

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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63. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a person (details supplied) has an entitlement to carer's benefit from their current or previous PRSI contributions. [37988/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Carer's Benefit is a payment made to insured people who leave the workforce or reduce their working hours to care for a child or an adult in need of full-time care and attention.

To qualify, the carer must satisfy PRSI conditions; employment conditions; show that they are providing full-time care and attention; and show that the care recipient requires full-time care and attention.

The legislative provisions for Carer's Benefit require a person to have been in remunerative full time employment for a minimum of 16 hours in the week, or 32 hours in the fortnight, for eight weeks out of the previous 26 week relevant period which is immediately prior to the first day on which a claim is made.

Only PRSI contributions paid at classes A,B,C,D,E and H are reckonable for Carer’s Benefit. PRSI Class “S” contributions are not qualifying contributions for the purpose of Carer’s Benefit.

This condition requires a person to have 156 PRSI contributions paid since entry into insurance and either

• 39 contributions paid in the "Relevant Tax year" which would be for this year - 2022.

• 39 contributions paid in the 12 months immediately before the commencement of the Carer's Benefit claim

• 26 contributions paid in the "Relevant Tax year" and 26 contributions paid in the previous "Relevant Tax year".