Vol. 425 No. 7
145 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason carer's allowance has been refused for a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who cares for her two aged parents, both of whom are in need of nursing care; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
One of the conditions for receipt of carer's allowance is that the carer must be in a position to provide constant full-time care and attention to an incapacitated pensioner(s). In order to give this level of care, the scheme requires the carer to reside with the pensioner and not to be employed or self-employed outside the home.
In this particular case, the person concerned failed to satisfy this condition of the scheme as she was employed outside the home on a part-time basis for five days each week. Therefore, her application for Carer's Allowance was not allowed and she was notified accordingly.
She later appealed this decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office which upheld the decision to disallow her application. The decision of the Appeals Office in this matter is final and may only be changed in the light of new facts or fresh evidence.
If the employment circumstances of the person concerned change such that she fulfils the qualifying conditions of the scheme, she should re-apply for the allowance then.
