Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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399. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will consider extending carer’s allowance to be available to care recipients of dependent personality disorder given they are not currently deemed eligible despite meeting requirements regarding requirements for continual supervision as set out under section 179(4) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5052/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Carer’s Allowance is a payment to people on low incomes who are caring full-time for a person who needs support because of age, disability or illness (including mental illness). The person being cared for must require full-time care and attention.  

The person requiring the care/the care recipient must be:

- Over the age of 16 and so incapacitated as to require full-time care and attention or

- Aged under 16 and getting a Domiciliary Care Allowance.

The two principal conditions for receipt of Carer’s Allowance are that the means test which applies is satisfied and that full-time care and attention is required and being provided.

A person is deemed to require full-time care and attention where they require from another person continual supervision and frequent assistance throughout the day in connection with normal bodily functions or continual supervision in order to avoid being a danger to themselves, and are likely to require that level of care for at least twelve months.

The degree of medical incapacity and the expected duration of the incapacity must be certified by a medical doctor.

An applicant for Carer’s Allowance must submit evidence and all relevant information confirming that they meet the conditions outlined above. Eligibility is not contingent on a particular disability or illness. Applications are considered on a case-by-case basis.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.