Brian Brennan (Wicklow-Wexford, Fine Gael)
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398. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to examine the case for the awarding of a pension for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31411/25]

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 disallow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision on 10th June 2025, as the means of the person concerned exceeded the statutory means limit. The person concerned will be notified in writing of the Appeals Officer’s decision in the coming days.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Brian Brennan (Wicklow-Wexford, Fine Gael)
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399. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to examine the case for awarding carer’s allowance to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31412/25]

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 11 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.

It is also a condition for receipt of CA that the carer cannot be engaged in employment/self-employment or training/study. However, where it is shown to the satisfaction of a Deciding Officer (DO) that adequate provision has been made for the care of the care recipient, the carer may engage in these activities for a maximum of 18.5 hours per week.

Additional information in relation to the person’s application was requested by a Deciding Officer (DO) on 20 February 2025. The person concerned failed to provide all the requested information and the claim was disallowed as it was not possible to determine that the person concerned satisfied the necessary conditions for receipt of CA.

The person concerned was notified of this decision on 7 April 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.

A review was initiated on foot of correspondence received from the person concerned on 16 April 2025.

Following this review, the person concerned was awarded CA from 6 March 2025.

The first payment will issue to the nominated bank account of the person concerned on 19 June 2025.

Arrears for the period from 6 March 2025 to 11 June 2025 will issue shortly.

The person concerned was notified of this decision in writing on 9 June 2025.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal East, Labour)
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400. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to examine the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31431/25]

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.

I can confirm that my Department received an application for CA from the person concerned on 20 March 2024.

As a result of an Appeals Officer's decision, the person concerned was awarded CA from 21 March 2024. The person concerned was notified of this decision in writing on 1 April 2025.

The first payment issued to their nominated bank account on 10 April 2025. Arrears due from 21 March 2024 to 9 April 2025 have also issued to the nominated bank account of the person concerned.

I can confirm that my Department has no record of an application for CA from the person concerned in 2022.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.