Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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1070. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of reviews carried out on carer’s allowance over the last five years, and the number per year, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12599/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is committed to ensuring that only those people who are eligible receive welfare and other payments. Our overriding objective is to ensure that we pay the right people, the right amount, through the right scheme/programme, at the right time.

All schemes, including Carers Allowance, are subject to periodic control reviews and continuing eligibility checks to ensure that recipients continue to satisfy the conditions for the scheme. At all times, every effort is made to conduct and complete reviews as quickly as possible to avoid any undue stress to the customer.

The table below outlines the number of reviews on Carers Allowance for the last five years and the amount of savings recorded.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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1071. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the criteria for selecting a carer’s allowance recipient for review; if there a limit on the number of times a person can be selected for review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12600/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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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 is committed to ensuring that only those people who are eligible receive welfare and other payments. The objective is to ensure that we pay the right people, the right amount, through the right scheme or programme, at the right time. Therefore, once claims are in payment, my Department undertakes periodic reviews to ensure that there is continued entitlement to payment.

Control reviews arise from both targeted and random case selections and where specific information comes to the attention of the Department. In this context, it should be noted that people are under a legal obligation to report any change in their circumstances to the Department which may affect their eligibility, and such notifications may trigger a review of a person's entitlement.

At all times, repeated requests for information are minimised and every effort is made to conduct and complete reviews as quickly as possible to avoid any undue stress to the customer.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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1072. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if it is correct that his Department is including a total household income review in current reviews that are being received by carer’s allowance recipients; the reason for including this request; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12601/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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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.

When eligibility has been established for CA and claims are in payment, my Department undertakes periodic reviews of CA customers to ensure that there is continued entitlement to the scheme.

In January 2025, CA became a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance (FA). FA is a means-tested payment to help with the cost of heating a home during the winter months, payable to people who either live alone or only with certain other qualified people.

Where a CA payment has FA in payment and is being reviewed, my Department requests the completion of a household composition form to ensure that the FA eligibility conditions continue to be met.

If the Deputy has a query on a particular case on which he requires information, the details can be forwarded to my Department and will be examined by an officer.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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1073. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if an application for carer’s allowance in the name of a person (details supplied) will be reviewed immediately and approved. [12602/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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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 1 November 2024.

As part of the decision process, the application was referred for the professional opinion of a Department Medical Assessor. The claim was disallowed as the Deciding Officer, having regard to the opinion of the Medical Assessor, decided that the information supplied did not show that the care recipient required full-time care.

The person concerned was notified of this decision in writing on 13 February 2025. They were also notified of their right to have the decision reviewed (where further information is available) or to appeal the decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO).

A review was initiated on foot of your correspondence received on 12 March 2025. Following this review, the decision remained unchanged. The person was notified of this decision in writing on 13 March 2025.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.