John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

In my question, I stated it was an anomaly. Clearly, it was not. This was a premeditated move and the Minister touched on that. The Minister did this in the full knowledge of the impact it would have.

There was a protest by carers outside the gates here last week. I spoke to a number of them and I have spoken to many since the budget. I disagree with the Minister when she states that this will have an impact on very few, given the evidence I have and the evidence the carers are giving.

The carers welcome the increase in hours that they can work outside the home to 18.5 hours but it was not to be done in isolation. In their submission to and engagement with the Minister, the carers had said that the increase in hours on its own would not be sufficient and there needed to be an increase in the earnings disregard. The Minister disregarded what they said and the impact will be significant. It will not impact on 0.1%, as the Minister referenced in her reply. The evidence from carers shows that this will have a real impact and be counterproductive. It will mean that this is a token measure and it will restrict them to doing 15 hours, as they had done previously.

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