Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

At present, when the person for whom a carer has been caring dies, the carer continues to receive carer's allowance for 12 weeks. It is a different way of doing the same thing. This does not happen if the person for whom the carer is caring goes into long-term care, however. In such circumstances, the allowance is stopped and the carer does not get the allowance for three months while he or she reorganises his or her affairs. Family Carers Ireland has made a strong case to me that the 12-week arrangements should apply when the person being cared for goes into long-term care. It is something I am considering in the context of the budget.

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