Mr. R?n?n Hession:

We do not have a facility to make exceptions in that way. No matter where we set a disregard level, there will unfortunately be people outside it. There are non-means-tested options. Certainly, if people are leaving work, they may have the contributions to get carer's benefit, which can last for two years. It may not be long enough for people dealing with a child who may require ongoing care. In the initial period where people lose work, if the child is under 16, the domiciliary care allowance is not means-tested, so that is another option. If people are not in receipt of any of our payments, they may still, if they are providing full-time care, regardless of their means of whether they qualify for our schemes, qualify for the carer's support grant, which is €1,850. There are about 90,000 carers. The carer's support grant is provided to about 116,000 people. Between carer's benefit and carer's support grant, there are about 20,000 people in that category. Supports are available but, unfortunately, due to the way means-testing works, there are thresholds and not all income is assessed above the threshold. The threshold for carer's allowance is the highest in our social welfare system. It is considerably higher than for disability allowance, which is €165, with a threshold of €350 for carer's allowance.

The Minister of State has been mindful of this. She meets carers' groups often and goes to our annual carers' forum. The carer's support grant is at its highest-ever level. Those means test thresholds had not changed in 14 years. I know what the carers' groups are calling for. They are essentially looking for non-means-tested payments at the same level as the artists' basic income. A bit like with the additional needs payment, our solutions are social welfare-shaped and sized. We have scarce resources which are targeted and we have to use means-testing as a way to target resources at those who have the greatest income need. That is not to in any way not accept the caring need and the household need, which we of course recognise. We have tried to use those different ways, such as the carer's support grant means test, to try to bring more people into the net to give better support. Unfortunately, there will always be people who are missed by the threshold. In cases where people are leaving work, the carer's benefit can be paid for two years and there are no age restrictions on it. That may help.