Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 March 2017
291. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an appeal for a carer's allowance in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11216/17]
View answerThe person concerned applied for carer’s allowance (CA) on 15 April 2016.
CA is a means-tested social assistance payment, made to persons who are providing full-time care and attention to a person who has a disability such that they require that level of care.
A person can be considered to be providing full-time care and attention where they are engaged in employment, self-employment or on training courses outside the home for a maximum of 15 hours per week, provided that they can show to the satisfaction of a deciding officer that adequate care has been provided for the care recipient in their absence.
This application was disallowed on the grounds that she was not providing full-time care and attention because she was working outside the home in excess of 15 hours per week.
She was notified on 4 August 2016 of this decision, the reason for it and of her right of review and appeal.
She appealed this decision and the case was submitted to the Social Welfare Appeals Office for determination. An Appeals Officer (AO), having fully considered all of the available evidence, disallowed the appeal.
The person concerned was notified on 9 February 2017 of the AO’s decision and was provided at that time with an explanation of the basis for this decision.
Under Social Welfare legislation, the decision of an AO is final and conclusive and may only be reviewed in the light of additional evidence or new facts. If the person concerned has any additional evidence or new facts they wish to be considered they should submit them to the carer’s allowance area of my Department which is based in Longford.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
