Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am not sure why the Deputy called it an anomaly given that it was part of the carers' benefit system, which is enshrined in legislation. It was a decision made when we sat down with a finite amount and we had to decide who we needed to best look after. We had to see how thinly we could spread the money to reach the most people in the current economy. When I considered increasing the hours while also increasing the disregard, the amount that it would cost and the number who would have benefitted did not warrant the €73 million additional cost of an increase in disregards.

I do not pluck statistics or numbers from the sky. My figures are based on the carers currently in payment from the Department. Some 86% of those currently in receipt of carer's allowance have little or no means and an increase in the disregard would have zero effect. Had we increased the disregard, it would have had an impact on 0.1% of those currently in receipt of the allowance. I have to consider the €73 million and all the choices we had to make regarding lone parents, qualified children living in poverty and so on. It was a political decision at budget time but I would not classify it as premeditated in the sense meant by Deputy Brady, although we all get the gist.

I agree with Deputy Penrose that the Carers' Association is acting on behalf of all our carers. He is correct that one in four carers is receiving payments here so there are a hell of a lot of people who do a lot of loving and caring out of love and respect for those for whom they care. I appreciate that. They appreciate the increase in hours because they have asked this of many Governments. It is 11 years since any changes were introduced by way of the increased hours that people may study or work. I am happy to have been able to do that. However, I was unable to increase the €73 million as I have outlined.

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