Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Carey. In terms of the CE supervisors' pensions, the starting point for this issue is, as the Deputy will be aware, the 2008 Labour Court recommendations. We have had a number of discussions. We have put forward a recommendation to the CE supervisors and my Department has been tick-tacking with them. An offer has been made to them. I hope that can be finalised soon and that we will be able to reach an agreement there. I believe it is a very generous offer. This has been a long-standing issue. We have met with them and much work has gone into it. I particularly acknowledge the work of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Michael McGrath, in reaching a solution to this long-standing problem. It is with the supervisors at present and there have been discussions with the unions. We hope we will be able to bring that to closure soon.

In terms of the carers, Deputy Carey mentioned the different supports that we have. As the Deputy will be aware, in the budget we certainly improved what the offering was for carers. It was something that I was keen to do. The Government recognises the important role that family carers play in Irish society and we are fully committed to support them through a range of supports and services. The main income supports for carers provided by the Department included carer's allowance, carer's benefit, domiciliary carer's allowance and the carer's support grant and spending on these payments, in 2021, is expected to amount to €1.5 billion. I was glad that I was able to improve the means test. I note that is something Deputy Carey wanted but it is something that the Chair, and, indeed, the other members of the committee, also raised with me on a number of occasions. We did that in the budget and that will come into effect next year. That means that you can earn more and still qualify for the carer's payment. The carers' groups across the country were very glad and there was widespread acknowledgement that this was a good thing to do. Of course, I increased the weekly carer's allowance payment by €5. The carer's support grant is at €1,850. That is the highest level it has ever been at. As a result of the changes that I made in the budget, a couple can earn up to €750 a week and the first €50,000 in savings will not be counted in the means test. That is something that will help those carers who carry out such important work.

Finally, in relation to the CE schemes, I acknowledge the great work done right across the country. It is not only a job activation measure. The schemes provide some fantastic social services, and it is important that we say that. Deputy Carey has raised this matter with me on a number of occasions. I intend to bring proposals to Government shortly to change the age from 62 to 60 so that persons can stay on the CE scheme continuously. If you are over 60 and on CE, you can stay on it if you choose to do so. This is something that many members of the committee have also raised with me. I will make significant changes to the referral process so that more people are referred from the Intreo office to CE schemes. I will be getting reports on that because some CE schemes have been saying that they are not getting enough referrals. I will be getting a monthly report on how many referrals are going into the CE schemes. Most important, I will be introducing a change so that where a scheme genuinely cannot fill a vacancy after advertising it, etc., it will be allowed to keep the existing CE worker in place provided he or she is happy to stay on. That is an important change and is something, once again, that many of the committee members have been raising with me. There is some vital work that the schemes are doing and it is important that those services can continue. In terms of all of that, I have to get approval from Government but I am sure I will get the support of this committee in doing so. That is what I am hoping to do. That will make a big difference to the CE schemes and help them carry out, as I said, not only job activation but that social aspect to the work they do that we need to recognise.