Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I must leave the meeting for ten minutes because I have a question in the Dáil. I have looked at the question of carers. It comes up nearly every week in respect of secondary benefits and people not being able to move on to the next level. I believe the only solution is that where many people who go on to carer's benefit, they come from stamps-paid employment, after two years of which they then have to go on to the carer's allowance, which is a means-tested payment. Our ask should be that the carer's benefit be extended for the duration of the care needed, that it is reflected on the stamps that have been paid prior to that, and that it is then given as a non-means-tested payment, provided one is giving the full-time care, and that that person can work 18 hours. This is because there is a whole cohort of people there who have had the experience of helping other families. This is something that we as a committee will be looking at as this appears to be the only solution we could possibly get from the Department of Finance and from the Government to try to resolve this. If our witness has any other thoughts on this, he might come back to us separately.

My apologies but I call Mr. McSweeney to speak now, please.