Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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126. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to provide an update on a living alone allowance application for a person (details supplied). [40391/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Primary weekly social welfare payments are intended to enable recipients to meet their basic day-to-day income needs. In addition to these primary payments, my Department also provides a range of other secondary payments, such as an Increase for a qualified adult (IQA) and the living alone increase (LAI).

The LAI is paid to persons in receipt of a primary payment from my Department and who are living alone. As the person concerned is in receipt of an increase for a Qualified Adult, they do not meet the eligibility criteria for this allowance.

If the person concerned has been caring for incapacitated dependents for over 20 years, they can apply for long-term carers contributions (LTCC). The periods of caregiving do not need to be consecutive. If the criteria are met, the equivalent of paid contributions may be attributed to cover gaps in their contribution record for the state pension (contributory). Their state pension (contributory) entitlement will be reviewed at this stage.

The quickest way to apply for LTCCs is online at MyWelfare.ie if the person has a verified MyGovID account. Further information is available on the Government website at gov.ie/pensions.

It is also open to them to apply for the state pension (non-contributory) which is a means-tested payment with a maximum payment of 95% of the state pension (contributory).

I have arranged for application forms to issue for state pension (non-contributory), pension caring supports, household benefits and the fuel allowance. On receipt of the completed application forms, their entitlement will be examined and they will notified of the outcome. The person concerned will also receive the payment that is financially more beneficial to them.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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127. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons eligible for the carer's support grant by virtue of being in receipt of the carer's allowance, carer's benefit and domiciliary care allowance, respectively, in tabular form. [40423/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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At the end of September 2024, there were 134,725 recipients of the Carer's Support Grant.

Of these, 95,440 were in receipt of Carer's Allowance, 3,680 were in receipt of Carer's Benefit and 56,369 were in receipt of Domiciliary Care Allowance.

6,741 individuals were in receipt of Carer's Support Grant and were not receiving any of the other three payments.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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128. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of the full rate of the carer's allowance, the half rate of carer's allowance and the number in receipt of a payment increase for a child dependent, respectively, in tabular form. [40424/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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A person in receipt of certain social welfare payments who is providing full time care and attention to another person may retain their payment, and receive a half-rate Carer's Allowance payment as well.

At the end of September 2024, there were 97,257 recipients of Carer's Allowance. Of these, 51,467 were in receipt of a full-rate payment and 45,790 were in receipt of a half-rate Carer's Allowance payment. A Child Support Payment (formerly the Increase for a Qualified Child) was being paid in respect of 53,855 children.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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129. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to detail the number of recipients of child benefit on 1 January in each of the past five years; the number that were resident outside of the State; the countries where these beneficiaries were resident; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40439/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Child Benefit is a monthly payment to the parents or guardians of children under 16 years of age. Child Benefit can also be claimed for children aged 16 and 17 and 18 if they are in full-time education or full-time training or have a disability and cannot support themselves.

The table below outlines Child Benefit payable to children residing outside the state from 2018 to 2023, the country of residence, number of children, number of families and the expenditure are included.

Child Benefit is payable in respect of children resident outside the state under EU legislation where at least one parent is making social security contributions in Ireland.

I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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130. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to outline the qualifying criteria for child benefit payments to be made for children who are ordinarily resident outside the State and to clarify when the benefits will cease in respect of children resident outside the State if the required PRSI contributions cease; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40442/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Child Benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children up to the age of 16 years. The payment continues to be paid in respect of children until their 19th birthday where they are in full-time education or have a disability. Child Benefit is paid at €140 per month. Twins are paid at one and a half times the standard monthly rate for each child, that is, €210 per month for each twin. All other multiple births are paid at double the standard monthly rate for each child, that is €280 per child.

To receive Child Benefit in Ireland, parents must be habitually resident in the State. The habitual residence condition is designed to provide on-going entitlement to non-contributory benefits including Child Benefit to those who have established their connection to Ireland, while that connection remains.

In order to be a qualified child for the purpose of Child Benefit, the child must, amongst other things, be ordinarily resident in this state. This requirement is deemed to be satisfied in cases of:

• members of the Irish Defence Forces or the Irish Civil Service serving abroad,
• volunteer development workers, and
• persons temporarily employed abroad by an Irish employer and paying Irish social insurance contributions.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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131. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the living alone allowance will be restored in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will expedite a positive decision. [40443/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Living Alone Increase (LAI) is a supplement of €22 per week to persons who are in receipt of a primary social protection payment who are living alone.

The person concerned applied for the LAI on 19 August 2023. They were notified on 2 September 2023 that they were not eligible 3for this increase as they did not reside alone. I have arranged for a form to issue to the person concerned to clarify their position. On receipt of the completed form, their entitlement will be reviewed.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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132. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if disability allowance will be approved for a person (details supplied); and if a positive decision will be expedited. [40444/24]

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 Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that there is no record of a Disability Allowance appeal by the person concerned having been received by that Office. However, an appeal in respect of a claim for Invalidity Pension was received in respect of the person concerned.

An Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, decided to allow the Invalidity Pension appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. The person concerned was notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision by letter issued on 4 October 2024.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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133. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason for the delay in the qualifying payment for fuel allowance not coming into effect until January 2025, thus missing half the payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40476/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) from late September to April, at an estimated cost of €382 million in 2024. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. Only one allowance is paid per household.

As part of Budget 2025, I was delighted to announce a number of measures in relation to the Fuel Allowance payment. These included:

• €300 once-off payment to all households receiving Fuel Allowance in November 2024.
• Carer’s Allowance will become a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance from January 2025, subject to meeting all criteria of the Fuel Allowance scheme, including satisfying the Fuel Allowance means test.
• The enhanced over 70’s Fuel Allowance qualifying conditions will be extended to people aged 66 and over from January 2025