Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1479. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will review the case of an application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21115/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Carer’s Support Grant (CSG) is an annual payment made to full-time carers who satisfy certain conditions.

The person claiming the CSG must:

• Be aged 16 or over and ordinarily resident in this State.
• Care for the person on a full-time basis.
• Care for the person for a continuous period of at least six months – this period must include the first Thursday in June.
• Live with the person being looked after, or this person can be contacted quickly by a direct system of communication (i.e., a telephone or alarm).
• Not be employed / self-employed for more than 18.5 hours per week.
• Not be in receipt of, or entitled to receive Jobseeker’s Allowance or Jobseeker’s Benefit or be signing for credited contributions.

• Be so incapacitated as to need full-time care and attention.
• Not normally live in a hospital, convalescent home, or another similar institution.
• Not receive full-time care and attention within their own home from another person other than the person claiming the Grant.

The person concerned was awarded the 2024 CSG in the amount of €1850. The person concerned was informed of this decision in a letter dated 7 April 2024.

The legislation governing the CSG stipulates that one may apply for the grant in any given year from 8 weeks before the date on which the grant is payable (the first Thursday in June) up to the 31st December of the following year.

In line with the governing legislation, the application could only be considered for 2024. The legislation does not provide the discretion to a Deciding Officer to award back-dating of CSG payment for a previous year in circumstances where a person has not made a claim within the prescribed time (even if it is clearly shown that the person was providing full-time care in that year).

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Micheál Carrigy (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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1480. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will review an application under the humanitarian assistance scheme for a person (details supplied) who was recently discharged from hospital on the day of a major storm event and required the urgent use of a generator to power medical equipment and heating; if he will take into account the individual’s low income, disability status, and the loss of food due to a power outage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21155/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Humanitarian Assistance Scheme (HAS), administered by my Department through the Community Welfare Service (CWS), was activated on 23 January 2025 to assist householders affected across the country by Storm Éowyn.

Humanitarian assistance is available in three stages.

Stage 1 of the HAS is available to people while they are directly impacted by the storm. It targets people who need immediate supports. This stage of humanitarian assistance is to help people with the essentials of life – food, water, shelter and warmth.

Stage 2 support generally involves the replacement of white goods, basic furniture items and other essential household items after a severe weather event.

Stage 3 humanitarian support helps to make a person’s accommodation habitable again in the aftermath of a severe weather event. It generally includes funding for work such as plastering, dry-lining, relaying of floors, electrical re-wiring and painting.

Stage 1 of HAS is available to people who need immediate humanitarian support while they are without power and/or water. Payments under Stage 1 are not income tested and applications paid have generally been to meet the additional cost of food, in the context of people being unable to either refrigerate or cook food while they had no power.

Leasing of a generator to meet an immediate short-term need may be covered under HAS Stage 1 with accompanying receipts outlining the associated cost. These applications are dealt with on a case-by-case basis taking all the circumstances of the claim into consideration.

According to the records of the Department, the person concerned applied for a HAS stage 1 payment to assist with the cost of hiring a generator for medical needs due to the power outages as a result of Storm Éowyn. The Deciding Officer reviewing the application has requested outstanding information from the person concerned in writing, having failed to contact her successfully by phone. Upon receipt of the requested documentation, the application for the person concerned will be assessed promptly, and they will be advised of the outcome in writing.

I trust this clarifies the matter.

Micheál Carrigy (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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1481. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will provide an update on an application under the humanitarian assistance scheme for a person (details supplied) who has not received any response from his Department following their application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21156/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Humanitarian Assistance Scheme (HAS), administered by my department through the Community Welfare Service (CWS), was activated on 23 January 2025 to assist householders affected across the country by Storm Éowyn.

Humanitarian assistance is available in three stages.

Stage 1 of the HAS is available to people while they are directly impacted by the storm. It targets people who need immediate supports. This stage of humanitarian assistance is to help people with the essentials of life – food, water, shelter and warmth.

Stage 2 support generally involves the replacement of white goods, basic furniture items and other essential household items after a severe weather event.

Stage 3 humanitarian support helps to make a person’s accommodation habitable again in the aftermath of a severe weather event. It generally includes funding for work such as plastering, dry-lining, relaying of floors, electrical re-wiring and painting.

The purpose of HAS 2 support is to provide financial support to eligible householders whose primary dwelling i.e. their home only, was damaged by severe weather events. The scheme is designed to provide hardship alleviation, as opposed to compensation. Assistance towards the replacement of fences, gates, sheds or other outbuildings is not covered by this scheme. Furthermore, it does not pay for damage that is covered by insurance policies, nor does it cover commercial, agricultural, or business losses.

According to the records of the Department, the person concerned submitted a HAS 2 application for assistance to repair their car roof that was damaged by a tree which had fallen as a result of Storm Éowyn.

This claim has been disallowed on the grounds that HAS does not cover car repairs/replacement as they are not considered part of a primary dwelling i.e. house only.

The person concerned has been notified of this outcome in writing and afforded the opportunity to seek a review of this decision, should they be dissatisfied with the outcome.

I trust this clarifies the matter.

Micheál Carrigy (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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1482. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will provide an update on an application under the humanitarian assistance scheme for a person (details supplied) who has not received any response from the Department following their application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21157/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Humanitarian Assistance Scheme (HAS), administered by my Department through the Community Welfare Service (CWS), was activated on 23 January 2025 to assist householders affected across the country by Storm Éowyn.

Humanitarian assistance is available in three stages.

Stage 1 of the HAS is available to people while they are directly impacted by the storm. It targets people who need immediate supports. This stage of humanitarian assistance is to help people with the essentials of life – food, water, shelter and warmth.

Stage 2 support generally involves the replacement of white goods, basic furniture items and other essential household items after a severe weather event.

Stage 3 humanitarian support helps to make a person’s accommodation habitable again in the aftermath of a severe weather event. It generally includes funding for work such as plastering, dry-lining, relaying of floors, electrical re-wiring and painting.

The scheme does not provide a general compensation payment for damage or losses incurred as a consequence of a weather event. It does not cover damage or losses that are reasonably expected to be covered by insurance policies, nor does it cover commercial, agricultural, or business losses.

According to the records of this Department, no HAS1 application has been received from the person concerned to date. However, I can confirm that a HAS1 application has issued to the home address of the person concerned with a freepost envelope for return. The person concerned should return the form, signed and completed outlining the reason why they believe they have an entitlement to a payment. They should include as much information as possible including all expenses incurred, household composition and the length of time their household was without power.

HAS1 and HAS2 applications are also available to download online at: www.gov.ie/en/service/12e880-humanitarian-assistance-scheme-swa/ .

I trust this clarifies the matter.

Micheál Carrigy (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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1483. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will provide an update on an application under the humanitarian assistance scheme for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21159/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Humanitarian Assistance Scheme (HAS), administered by my Department through the Community Welfare Service (CWS), was activated on 23 January 2025 to assist householders affected across the country by Storm Éowyn.

Humanitarian assistance is available in three stages.

Stage 1 of the HAS is available to people while they are directly impacted by the storm. It targets people who need immediate supports. This stage of humanitarian assistance is to help people with the essentials of life – food, water, shelter and warmth.

Stage 2 support generally involves the replacement of white goods, basic furniture items and other essential household items after a severe weather event.

Stage 3 humanitarian support helps to make a person’s accommodation habitable again in the aftermath of a severe weather event. It generally includes funding for work such as plastering, dry-lining, relaying of floors, electrical re-wiring and painting.

Stage 1 of HAS is available to people who need immediate humanitarian support while they are without power and/or water. Payments under Stage 1 are not income tested and applications paid have generally been to meet the additional cost of food, in the context of people being unable to either refrigerate or cook food while they had no power.

The scheme does not provide a general compensation payment for damage or losses incurred as a consequence of a weather event. It does not cover damage or losses that are reasonably expected to be covered by insurance policies, this includes spoiled food in a freezer etc., nor does it cover commercial, agricultural, or business losses.

According to the records of the Department, the person concerned applied for a HAS stage 1 payment to assist with the additional costs incurred as a result of Storm Éowyn. I am pleased to advise you that the person concerned has been awarded a payment towards the additional costs incurred as a result of the enduring power outages. The person concerned will be notified of this outcome in writing and payment will issue to their nominated Post Office, as confirmed with them by phone, in 2 – 3 working days.

I trust this clarifies the matter.