Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank all the witnesses for coming in this morning and for their opening statements. I have a couple of questions and the first relates to child benefit. I had a gentleman from my constituency who contacted me. He is the grandfather of four children - his daughter is their mother - and he and his wife take care of them. The daughter is having problems of her own and she does not see the children. She continued to get the child benefit payment in respect of four children of €560 per month for six months, or €3,360 over the period. She made no contribution to the children and it was money that she received and could keep. I found that quite unusual and had not come across it before. It is something I wanted to mention. I know within the social protection system there may not be room for that level of flexibility when it comes to child benefit and the six-month rule is there. What are the views of the witnesses on that?

My second question relates to the State pension. What happens with former foster carers who reach the pension age? How do they manage once they come to the age of 66 and cannot access a State pension? I presume some of them can get the non-contributory State pension, which is means-tested, but there are obvious difficulties there as well.

Mr. Taylor of Foster Care Ireland argues that a pension entitlement would be proportional to the allowance received now but does he mean the group seeks a State pension higher than the current rate of €253? Is the group looking for a rate matching the fostering allowance or the State pension as it is today? The difficulty with the State pension is that the important recognition from the Department of Social Protection is not there. I imagine there is a huge financial cliff edge for foster carers once they reach pension age but cannot receive the full State pension. In fairness, they are very much entitled to that. Will Mr. Taylor speak a little more about what he would like to see with a pension?

I know the pensions commission in its report put forward recommendations for carers, including long-term carers, and the use of Exchequer funds to top up where contributions do not reach the full amount. Will Mr. Taylor speak a little more about that? I imagine the pension issue is probably making it harder to bring in foster carers. Then again, on the other side foster carers might come into the system when the State pension is so far away. Is the knowledge even there for them that this is an issue?

Does it only become apparent when they get to 66 and it is too late? People cannot buy contributions now and there are significant difficulties there as well. My questions are about child benefit and the State pension. I thank the witnesses again for their contributions. I have to go into the Chamber to speak, but I have a few minutes. If I go out, I will be back again.