Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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285. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a decision will be made in relation to an invalidity pension appeal (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22254/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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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.

I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, has decided to Allow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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286. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if child maintenance payments are disregarded from secondary social welfare entitlements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22282/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Social Welfare and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024 provided for changes to the social welfare means test to exclude child maintenance payments from assessment in all means-tested payments that my Department provides. This was one of the recommendations of the Report of the Child Maintenance Review Group in relation to the social welfare system.

This change to the social welfare means test came into legal effect from June 2024. As a result of this change, the full amount of child maintenance a person receives is no longer being assessed in the means test for any social welfare payment, including secondary payments such as fuel allowance and the back to school clothing and footwear allowance. This change means that people on reduced rates of payment may have seen their payment increase and those who may not have qualified at all up to then may have been able to access a payment.

Following the introduction of this change, my Department reviewed approximately 65,000 claims for One-Parent Family Payment and Jobseeker's Transitional Payment in payment. As a result, child maintenance payments were removed from the means assessments of approximately 15,800 people.

This is a very positive measure for lone parents and their children.

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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287. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if his Department is aware of a review into a carer’s allowance application submitted by a person (details supplied); if his Department has received this review request; if a decision has been made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22303/25]

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.

Means are any income belonging to the carer and their spouse /civil partner / cohabitant, property (except their own home), or an asset that could bring in money or provide them with an income (for example occupational pensions, or pensions or benefits from another country).

I confirm that the person concerned has been in receipt of CA since 28 February 2008.

Once claims are in payment, my Department periodically reviews them to ensure that there is continued entitlement.

A means review was initiated on 12 November 2024 and it was determined that the means of the person concerned had exceeded the statutory limit and the payment was stopped.

The person concerned was notified of this decision in writing on 14 March 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.

The most recent means review was initiated on foot of correspondence received from the person concerned on 17 April 2025.

An information request pertaining to the review issued to the person on 30 April 2025.

Upon receipt of the information requested and following the necessary investigations in relation to all aspects of the review, the person concerned will be notified directly in writing of the outcome.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.