Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

I should have answered the question raised by Deputy Shortall about people in receipt of the qualified adult allowance. My understanding is that the arrangements do apply and include people on the qualified adult allowance, if I am reading my note correctly. That is certainly my understanding of it. It also applies to people on social welfare payments generally. That goes across the system, although there are some exceptions.

Deputy McCormack has again returned to the issue. Of course anomalies arise within the system, particularly when one makes the sort of sweeping changes we have made. All are in agreement that the benefits the half carer's payment will bring will be very substantial. If I had unlimited resources, we could simply pay it without any means test or criteria, but we do not live in that world. I do not necessarily agree that this is the best use of precious resources provided by the taxpayer to spend in different Departments as we go forward every year.

I want to build on what has been achieved with regard to carers. I have consistently stated this since we started the debate this afternoon. There are anomalies, with which I will try to deal. This does not necessarily mean that I can deal with all of them, but I would like to target it to the maximum benefit of the widest group which can benefit from any change that we may pursue.

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