1201. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will ensure that the entitlement of a person (details supplied) to carer's allowance is determined for an application first made in August 2025; the reasons this allowance has not been approved to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42697/26]

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 24 September 2025.

It is a condition for receipt of CA that every claimant shall furnish such certificates, documents, information, and evidence as may be required for the purposes of deciding their claim.

The application was referred for the professional opinion of a Department Medical Assessor and additional information in relation to the person’s application was requested by a Deciding Officer (DO) on 30 September 2025.

The claim was disallowed on two conditions. Firstly, the DO, having regard to the opinion of the Medical Assessor, decided that the information supplied did not show that the care recipient required full time care. Secondly, the person concerned failed to supply all of the requested information.

The person was notified of this decision in writing on 05 November 2025. They were also notified of their right to have the decision reviewed (where further information is available) or to appeal the decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO).

A request to appeal this decision was lodged with the Department and forwarded to the SWAO on 17 November 2025. For an appeal to succeed, legislative requirements in respect of both qualifying conditions under consideration for CA must be met and therefore the original decision was upheld. The appeal was disallowed as not all the information requested by the Department was provided. The person concerned was notified in writing of this decision on 27 March 2026.

Under Social Welfare legislation, the decision of an Appeals Officer is final and conclusive and may only be reviewed in the light of relevant additional evidence or new facts.

It is also open for the person concerned to make a new application for CA.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.