Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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645. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a caring support pension application can be expedited for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60922/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The person concerned reached pension age on 19 February 2025.

To qualify for the standard state pension (contributory), a minimum of 520 paid contributions is required. The records of my Department show that the person concerned has 368 paid contributions which falls short of the minimum requirement.

Flexible pension arrangements are available for people who turn 66 on or after 1 January 2024. State pension may now be claimed from any date between the age of 66 and 70. It is therefore open to the person concerned to acquire additional contributions to qualify and claim the State pension at a later date between the age of 66 and 70. Based on the current requirement of 520 paid contributions, an additional 152 contributions are required to qualify.

HomeMakers and HomeCaring Periods have been awarded. These can be used to improve a person’s rate of pension if they meet the other qualifying conditions. They cannot however be used to satisfy the requirement to have 520 full rate paid contributions.

The enhanced State pension provision for people who have been caring for incapacitated dependents for 20 years or more was introduced from 1 January 2024. In order for Long-Term Carers contributions to be reckonable for State pension, at least 1040 weeks (20 years) are required. The person concerned was awarded three years. A request for more information issued to them on 5 November 2025 to complete an ongoing review. Once this information is received, a revised decision will issue to the person concerned and their pension entitlement will then be reviewed.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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646. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if carers allowance and fuel allowance will be approved for a person (details supplied) as a matter of urgency. [60931/25]

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 29 September 2025.

As part of the decision process, the application was referred for the professional opinion of a Department Medical Assessor. The claim was disallowed as the Deciding Officer, having regard to the opinion of the Medical Assessor, decided that the information supplied did not show that the care recipient required full time care.

The person concerned was notified of this decision on 04 November 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.

Fuel Allowance has been awarded to the person concerned on their State Pension Contributory claim with effect from 26 September 2025.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.