
The average appeal processing time in 2024 was 16.9 weeks
Family carers in Kildare are facing significant delays in the appeals process for Carer’s Allowance, with waiting times exceeding four months.
Figures obtained by Kildare South Labour TD Mark Wall through a parliamentary question to Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary reveal that the average appeal processing time in 2024 was 16.9 weeks, up from 16.6 weeks in 2023 and 12.7 weeks in 2022 - a nearly 33% increase since 2022.
He said the wait times are "grossly unfair" and highlighting that some carers have waited up to a year for a decision.
He has called on the government to allocate more resources to reduce delays and called for the abolition of the means test for Carer’s Allowance, arguing that many carers struggle to access the payment in the first place.