Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)

The introduction of the half-rate carer's allowance has been a very welcome development but it has thrown up several anomalies. I would like clarification on these from the Minister as I have been unable to get it from his Department. I refer, for example, to whether a person who is in receipt of a qualified adult allowance will be entitled to half rate carer's allowance. Will a person who is in receipt of carer's allowance and who has an underlying entitlement to a State pension be in a position to avail of the two-payment arrangement that has been introduced?

I wish to refer also to applicants for carer's allowance who do not meet the criteria relating to full-time care and attention. I understand that 15% of people who applied for carer's allowance last year were refused on the basis they did not provide full-time care and attention. Does the Minister accept there may be a number of circumstances in which a carer might be providing critical care and attention to somebody, perhaps not on a full-time basis, which enables the individual to whom it is being provided to stay in his or her home and remain outside State nursing home care? Is there a need to relax the existing requirement or to introduce a part payment to people who may be providing two to four hours care per day, which is critical in nature and which, as already stated, enables the person to whom it is being provided to remain in his or her home? In my opinion there is a need to relax the criteria relating to full-time care and attention and I ask the Minister to consider taking action in that regard.

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