Under the rules for entitlement to the household benefits package of allowances, an applicant must either be residing alone or only with certain categories of excepted persons. The person concerned is residing with his sister, who is in receipt of disability benefit and does not qualify as an excepted person. She would only do so in the event that she was medically certified as being so incapacitated as to require constant care and attention in her own right on an ongoing basis.
On foot of the Deputy's question my Department has issued a medical assessment form to the person concerned in respect of his sister. On receipt of the completed form his entitlement will be reviewed and he will be informed of the outcome as soon as possible.
To make long-term disability benefit a qualifying entitlement for the household benefits package generally would have significant cost implications for the scheme and could only be considered in a budgetary context. There are no plans at present for such an extension to this scheme.