Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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278. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason an appeal for a person (details supplied) has been ongoing for over a year and has not been assigned to an appeal officer yet, despite all documentation having been submitted. [26439/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Social Welfare Appeals Office is a service 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.

The Chief Appeals Officer apologises and regrets the delays experienced by this customer. I can assure the Deputy that the Chief Appeals Officer is taking all additional measures to reduce the time taken to process all appeals. 20 additional staff have now been appointed as Appeals Officers and are making appeal decisions.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Keira Keogh (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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279. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a decision on an application for carer’s allowance will issue for a person in County Mayo (details supplied). [26477/25]

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 17 February 2025.

It is a condition for receipt of CA that every claimant shall furnish such certificates, documents, information and evidence as may be required for the purposes of deciding their claim.

A request to provide additional information issued to the person concerned on 3 March 2025. As the person concerned failed to supply the information requested, the claim was disallowed on 31 March 2025.

The person concerned was 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 correspondence received from the person concerned on 14 April 2025.

The claim was referred to a local Social Welfare Inspector (SWI) to confirm that all the conditions for receipt of CA are satisfied.

Following receipt of the information requested by the SWI and following the necessary investigations in relation to all aspects of the review, the person concerned was awarded CA with effect from 20 February 2025.

The first payment will issue to the nominated bank account of the person concerned on 29 May 2025 along with arrears due from 20 February 2025 to 28 May 2025.

The person concerned was notified of this decision in writing on 20 May 2025.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.