Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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1835. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the value of a person’s house is disregarded as part of an application for a disability allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42810/25]

Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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1836. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to outline the situation, where a person has €300,000 for a four-month period from the proceeds of their home and these proceeds being used to buy a new home, in terms of the capital disregard for a disability allowance payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42811/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1835 and 1836 together.

Social Welfare Legislation provides that the means test takes account of the income and assets of the person (and spouse/partner if applicable) applying to the relevant scheme. While properties other than a person’s principal residence are assessable for means purposes for DA, a person's home is not assessed as capital.

From January 2025, the means test allows for up to €337,500 a DA recipient receives if they sell their home and:

• Move to different accommodation (they can either buy or rent)
• Move in with someone who is caring for them and receiving a carer's payment (www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social-welfare/social-welfare-payments/carers/payments-to-carers/)
• Move to sheltered or special housing in the voluntary, co-operative, statutory or private sectors
• Move into a registered private nursing home (www.citizensinformation.ie/en/health/health-services/health-services-for-older-people/regulation-residential-care-older-people/).