Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)

Supporting and recognising carers in our society is and has been a priority of the Government since 1997. In that period, weekly payment rates to carers have been considerably increased, qualifying conditions for carer's allowance have been significantly eased, coverage of the scheme has been extended and new schemes, such as carer's benefit and the respite care grant, have been introduced and extended.

In budget 2005, I improved the grant in three ways by extending the grant to all full-time carers regardless of means or whether they are in receipt of social welfare payments other than carer's allowance or benefit, providing for the grant to be paid in respect of each care recipient and increasing the level of the grant from €835 to €1,000 in June 2005. In 2006, I increased the grant to €1,200 and, through budget 2006, I have increased it by a further €300. This represents an increase of 490% in the level of the grant since its introduction in 1999.

A fundamental qualification condition for carer's allowance, carer's benefit and the respite care grant is that the applicant must be providing full-time care and attention to a person who needs such care. Until June of this year, people could engage in employment outside the home for up to ten hours per week and still qualify for payment. Since then, I have increased the number of hours a person can engage in employment, self-employment, training or education outside the home and still satisfy the qualifying conditions for payment from ten hours to 15 hours per week. This improvement applies to carer's allowance, carer's benefit and the respite care grant.

Approximately 34,300 carers, including those in receipt of carer's allowance and benefit, have received a respite care grant this year and applications continue to be received. Of this number, approximately 8,300 carers are not in receipt of a weekly social welfare carer's payment. The respite care grant, which recipients can choose to spend as they see fit, is highly valued by carers.

Towards 2016 commits the Government to continuing further development of the carer's allowance, carer's benefit and the respite care grant. I am committed to working with carers to deliver additional benefits, supports and services for them and their families. Deputies will be aware of the improvements for carers that I announced in budget 2006.

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