Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We cannot change the principle that benefits are paid to the contributor. As the Deputy mentioned, the means-tested carer's allowance is available. The means test has a generous disregard of €665 for a couple. I understand that there are difficult situations, but we have extended supports for the self-employed. For example, they can now get jobseeker's benefit. This is why many self-employed have been able to benefit from the pandemic unemployment payment, PUP, which is only right and proper. Many extra benefits have been made available to the self-employed, but in the case outlined, extending a benefit in the way the Deputy requested to attach it to someone else's contributions would represent a fundamental change in the social welfare system.

See this speech in context