Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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147. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a pension will be introduced for foster carers, who look after thousands of vulnerable children in the State, many of whom have a range of complex needs and who get limited healthcare support due to the lack of available services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44376/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Matters related to foster caring are the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, and for Tusla.

This Government acknowledges the important role that carers, including Foster carers, play and is fully committed to supporting them in that role. Accordingly, the current State Pension (Contributory) system provides measures including PRSI credits, Homemaking Disregards and HomeCaring Periods to recognise caring periods of up to 20 years outside of paid employment in the calculation of a payment rate. Foster carers are entitled to the benefits of the Homemaker’s Scheme or HomeCaring Periods and will qualify if the carer is in receipt of Child Benefit. If the foster carer is not in receipt of Child Benefit, they can still qualify for Homemaker’s Scheme or HomeCaring Periods provided the caring periods are confirmed by Tusla.

Despite these measures, some long-term carers of incapacitated dependents may still face barriers in accessing the State Pension (Contributory). They may for example have difficulty establishing the minimum number of 10 years' paid contributions.

I announced a series of landmark reforms to the State Pension system last September in response to the Pensions Commission’s recommendations.

An important reform agreed by Government is enhanced State Pension provision for people who have been caring for incapacitated dependents for over 20 years. It will do this by attributing the equivalent of a paid contribution to long-term carers to cover gaps in their contribution record. Foster Carers who have cared for an incapacitated dependent or dependents for over 20 years will also benefit from this important change.

My officials are currently working to implement these reforms.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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148. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will make the benefit payment for 65-year-olds a qualifying payment for the fuel allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44413/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) from late September to April, at an estimated cost of €412 million in 2023. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. Only one allowance is paid per household.

Qualifying payments for fuel allowance are those payments that are considered long-term payments and an applicant must also satisfy a means test. People on long-term payments are unlikely to have additional resources of their own and are more vulnerable to poverty, including energy poverty. It is for this reason that the Department allocates additional payments, supports and resources to help this cohort of claimants.

The Benefit Payment for 65 Year Old's is a short-term payment for people aged 65 who have ceased employment or self-employment and who satisfy the pay-related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions. It is not a means tested payment. Accordingly, it is not a qualifying payment for receipt of fuel allowance.

Any decision to include the Benefit Payment for 65 Year Old's as a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance would be a fundamental change to scheme policy and would have to be carefully considered.

Finally, the Department of Social Protection provides Additional Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme for people who have an essential need which they cannot meet from their own resources. These payments are available through our Community Welfare Officers.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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149. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a decision has been made on a fuel allowance application by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44421/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The person in question is in receipt of an Invalidity Pension from my Department. An application for Fuel Allowance under the National Fuel Scheme was received on 13 September 2023. They were found eligible for fuel allowance with effect from 14 September 2023. A notification of this allowance decision issued to them on 30 September 2023.

The person concerned has opted for payment in two instalments for the 2023/24 fuel season and the first lump-sum payment issued to their nominated bank account on 5 October 2023.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.