Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)

Many of these issues, including policy issues, are being examined in the context of the Green Paper. The residency condition of the scheme was changed in March 2005 when new legislation was introduced to bring it into line with the carer's schemes. A person can now qualify as a homemaker once he or she satisfies certain non-residency conditions. In effect, this means that it is no longer necessary for a homemaker to reside with the person for whom he or she is caring. I do not have a cost figure off-hand for the Deputy but I will see if I can obtain one for him. I take the Deputy's point and think the scheme could be used more. We will continue to promote it. A stay-at-home father who, for example, is caring for a child under 12 might consider registering. Any persons providing care to an incapacitated person aged 12 or over, and who has not claimed carer's allowance, carer's benefit or respite care grant, may also register as a home-maker.

We need to promote the scheme more and I am undertaking to do so. The Green Paper review will have to deal with some of the more medium and longer-term policy issues surrounding this scheme.

See this speech in context