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

I thank Deputy Ó Cuív for raising a number of issues. Regarding the capital disregards, as the Deputy knows, I made some changes in respect of carers and over-70s for the fuel allowance. I have made a good few changes over the last couple of budgets. I would love to do everything but I cannot do that in one budget.

I agree with the Deputy in terms of people who are profoundly disabled. Their parents are worried about what will happen to them when they pass on. They want to leave money in trust for them or leave it so they have access to that wee bit extra they deserve to have, which is part of their inheritance as well. The Deputy made the point that if people get an inheritance, their disability payment is removed if it is means-tested. I take the Deputy's point on that. It is particularly difficult for those with a profound disability. We know many elderly parents are very concerned about the future of their disabled children whenever they pass on. I have discussed this with my officials and I will commit to review all the means-tested payments we have in terms of the capital allowance. A number of members brought this up, including the Chairman, particularly in respect of carer's payments. I will do that this year.

I asked the officials to look at the cost and they told me it would cost approximately €50 million. It would, therefore, cost a considerable amount to change everything. I will give a commitment to examine this matter to see how we can improve it. I know that €20,000 is not much now.

I will not even go back over what €20,000 used to do but it does not do an awful lot now. I was going to say it would buy a good car but it would not do so now. I am very conscious of this issue and commit to looking at whether there is anything we can do in that regard this year.

We have the cost of disability report which is before a committee chaired by the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte. What I am looking at in that regard is how we can make a payment that is commensurate. Whether a disability is profound or mild, there is a difference in disabilities. One flat rate is currently paid across the board. There is no doubt that the costs for people with profound disabilities are higher. The report says that. We are looking at that and hope to move on it in the coming year.

I take the Deputy's point about a couple with a joint bank account. I have seen many cases where women, mainly, have not worked. They have been at home caring all their lives and when they look for the qualified adult payment, they discover that because there is a few bob in a bank account they cannot get anything. It is as simple as that. I will look at that as part of this review. I am also considering, in response to the Pensions Commission report, how we can provide pensions for people who have been caring for 20 years or more. This committee made a recommendation on that and I very much wish to move on it. There are people, again mainly women, who have given up a large part of their lives to look after a loved one and come to pension age to find they have nothing. We are moving on this.

With regard to the fuel allowance, the €1,000 figure for a couple includes the social welfare payment for the over-70s. The €1,000 means is for a couple and the figure for a single person is €500. The household composition still applies to the fuel allowance but under-70s are allowed, as part of the means test, €200 plus the contributory pension. Under-70s are allowed to have €200 over the contributory pension rate, which would mean they have €465. I have increased that in the budget for 2023. It means someone under 75 could earn up to €465 before it would impact on the fuel allowance. It is an improvement in that area. I included the €12 increase in the pension from January.

With regard to the fuel and carer's allowances, I also introduced a disregard for half-rate carer's allowance on the fuel allowance scheme. I listen to Deputies, as I said last night, and take on board the matters they raise. We are all in this to try to support people. That is what social protection is about and it will always be about trying to help people when they need help. However, when I am coming up with schemes, I have to look at whether they will have unintended consequences in other areas. A scheme might sound a good idea to the Deputies and me, but sometimes when we look at it in a broader context, it can have unintended consequences.

The other issue the Deputy raised concerned partial capacity benefit. I know what the Deputy is saying and we can look at it in the context of the review the Minister for Social Protection will do next year. I cannot say whether I will still be in this role next year. I would love to be. In any event, it is all part of what we are looking at.