Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)

The Minister has justified his reason for not accepting the amendment. While I seldom pay the Minister a compliment, I compliment him on permitting the payment of 50% of the carer's allowance to full-time carers who are in receipt of other social welfare benefits. Deputy Penrose raised this issue during last year's budget debate but I have raised it during the past ten budget debates with the Minister and his predecessors, Deputies Coughlan and Dermot Ahern, and I was told on every occasion that the issue could not be addressed.

The reason I raised the issue is a case was brought to my attention in my constituency involving a woman who cared for her father-in-law at home. He was doubly incontinent and bed ridden and her husband had been killed in a road accident. She subsequently received the widow's pension and she continued to care for her husband's father, but she lost the carer's allowance. It was the most cruel case I ever came across in my political career. A month ago I did not intend to stand at the next general election and my political career was due to finish next June but I have decided to run again. I do not know whether I will be in the House for the next budget and if this is my last budget, I am glad I have achieved this much in my political career.

The Minister is only conceding a payment equal to 50% of the carer's allowance. However, his officials are well aware of the case to which I refer because I have raised it many times. This woman lost her husband, who was a small farmer, and she had to hire somebody to do her meagre farm work because she was a full-time carer to her husband's father in the house. She was, therefore, penalised in two respects. Where that happens, a carer who is a social welfare recipient should not lose his or her carer's allowance. It will not cost the Minister €57 million to address this. This was a cruel case and this issue will continue to affect carers who lose a spouse because, even with the change the Minister proposes, they will still lose half the carer's allowance.

I am surprised and disappointed that the change will not be introduced until next September, which is almost a year away. It is more or less a case of "live horse and you will get grass" where qualifying carers are concerned. They are being short-changed, although I will not call this mean because the Minister must work out this proposal. I have given the Government parties plenty of warning about this issue over the past nine budgets. It is nine years since my constituent lost her husband in a road accident and subsequently lost the carer's allowance because she was in receipt of the widow's pension. Although I welcome very much the changes the Minister proposes, I am disappointed he is postponing the implementation of this decision until next September. That is far-fetched, given that a general election will be held before next September. I would like this change to be implemented before the general election, if possible, for the Minister's sake and mine.

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