Paul McAuliffe
Question:66. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the carer’s allowance application for a person (details supplied). [38133/24]
View answerWednesday, 25 September 2024
Questions (66)
Written answers
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 02 February 2024.
The application was referred to a local Social Welfare Inspector (SWI) on 12 February 2024 to confirm that all the conditions for receipt of CA are satisfied. The SWI reported on 24 September 2024.
A Deciding Officer decided on 26 September 2024 that the claim can be awarded. However, as the person concerned is currently in receipt of another social welfare payment that includes a payment for a qualified adult, they were contacted by phone on 26 September 2024 to ensure that they wish to proceed with the CA claim, which will result in a lower weekly rate of payment. The person wished to consider this and will revert to confirm whether they wish to proceed, and if they do, their claim will be put into payment immediately.
I would like to apologise for the delay in processing this application. Applications for CA can sometimes take longer to process because they require more detailed investigations and interaction with the customer, thereby lengthening the decision-making process.
My Department is committed to providing a quality service to all its customers. This includes ensuring that all applications are processed as quickly as possible.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.