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

Assuming that the Deputies intended the amendment to have the effect of paying the grant in January instead of June, I would like to point out that the current date is well established. It is known to recipients of carers' payments and other new carers who wish to apply for the grant.

It would not be possible, from an administrative point of view, to implement such a change by January 2021. The Covid adjusted unemployment rate is 21%. The Department paid the Christmas bonus this week and last week 287,000 people received Covid PUP arrears. The Department is currently adjusting its ICT system so that the parents' benefit can be increased to five weeks. We are trying to get that out as quickly as we can. Changing the date to 1 January would not allow carers to have sufficient notice of the changes. The next planned payment date for the carers support grant is the first Thursday in June.

I believe in listening to the people concerned. My Department holds a pre-budget forum every year to which the representative organisations of carers are invited. I am very happy to engage with the relevant stakeholders and the carers groups. If carers would prefer this grant to be paid in January, it is certainly something that we will be happy to look at. We are unable, however, to pay it next month due to the demands relating to PUP. I will look at it next year if the carers' groups feel that there is a demand for this. Some people may be happier to get the payment in June because it gives them the opportunity to, for example, take a break. That is what it was intended for. It was probably paid in June in order that people could use the money to take a break. If one is in receipt of the carers payment, one will receive the Christmas bonus. I would hate to think that if this money were paid in January, it would go towards paying another bill. The fact that it will be paid in June might mean that people get to use it for the purpose of which it was intended. As already stated, I am happy to engage with the carers groups and if they want this changed, I will change it next year. Is that okay?

See this speech in context