Grant Payments.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 7 October 2009

Wednesday, 7 October 2009

Questions (243)

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

333 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of applications for respite grants that have been made in each of the past three years to date in 2009; the number approved and rejected on a monthly basis in the same period; the number of applications pending; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34954/09]

Written answers

Minister for Social and Family Affairs (Deputy Mary Hanafin)

The Respite Care Grant (RCG) is an annual payment made to all persons providing full-time care, regardless of means or PRSI contribution record, but subject to certain conditions. The Grant, in respect of any given year, is payable from the first Thursday in June of the year in question.

The extension of eligibility for the scheme to all carers was introduced in Budget 2005. Prior to this, only those in receipt of certain payments from the Department, principally Carer's Allowance/Benefit, could receive the Grant.

Details of applications received, applications allowed and applications refused by month, for the years 2008 and up to September 2009, are set at in tabular form below. Carers may submit applications for the grant in respect of both the current and the previous year and the figures below include instances where the carer submitted claims for grants for one or more years.

The total number of applications ‘pending' at end-September 2009 was 885. Enquiries to determine entitlement were ongoing in 509 of these and action had not yet commenced in connection with the remaining 379. Data in relation to the number of applications pending on a monthly basis, retrospective to 2007 is not available.

2007

Month	Applications	Claims Allowed	Claims Refused
January	511	550	139
February	550	534	104
March	441	470	74
April	3,550	405	117
May	4,619	156	80
June	1,501	1,896	62
July	719	3,882	161
August	423	1,252	181
September	349	911	180
October	398	817	205
November	296	629	127
December	207	437	58
Total	13,564	11,939	1,488

2008

Month	Applications	Claims Allowed	Claims Refused
January	206	482	97
February	260	238	69
March	212	154	125
April	1,946	206	115
May	3,719	114	107
June	1,413	2,227	205
July	590	2,747	306
August	390	609	174
September	580	739	201
October	385	643	130
November	354	510	252
December	2672	326	103
Total	10,328	8,995	1,884

2009

Month	Applications	Claims Allowed	Claims Refused
January	204	344	124
February	191	166	76
March	175	165	112
April	1,064	93	46
May	3,607	48	25
June	1,116	924	76
July	399	2,621	282
August	254	860	244
September	246	453	134
Total	7,256	5,674	1,119