Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)

On behalf of many carers, I thank the Minister and I wish to articulate their views on employment, namely, that we are moving in the right direction. Will the Minister remove the insidious June stipulation? For many, the respite care grant is the most money they receive because they do not qualify for carer's allowance, which has been extended, but why is there a strict time stipulation when most recipients do not receive the payments for a long period? Often, we receive complaints to the effect that respite care grants are slow in reaching the recipients.

Does the Minister agree that these grants constitute one of the most important elements of the care package he has introduced? Given that the grants are not means tested, is making them available to those not in receipt of carer's allowance the foot in the door that will lead to the abolition of the means test? The Acting Chairman likes sport, so I should say that we are only one kick away from rooting the means test out of the caring system, which would be a significant advance.

See this speech in context