Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 8:

In page 9, between lines 8 and 9, to insert the following: “Report on income limits for Carer’s Allowance

18. The Minister shall carry out a review on the income limits for Carer’s Allowance and explore the expansion of the income limit to allow for those on average industrial incomes to qualify for the payment and that the report shall be presented to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Social Protection within six months of the passing of this Act.”.

This amendment calls for a review of the income limits or earning disregards that apply to people who are at work while on the carer's allowance. There was a commitment in a previous policy proposal put forward by the Government in 2016 which said the Government would look at allowing those on the average industrial wage to be able to apply for and qualify for the carer's allowance. In the last budget, the hours worked or the hours of study outside the home was increased for those in receipt of carer's allowance from 15 to 18.5. While carers could go out and work more hours, if they earned more it would impact their carer's allowance. The increase in the hours should have come with a corresponding increase in the earnings they could make.

It is fair to say the income limits have not changed since 2008, which is a very long time. The Minister said in relation to the earlier amendment that carers work 24-7. I appreciate what the Minister said in relation to reports but a couple of years ago, I recall that we asked for a report which Indecon produced. It was on the 2012 changes to the one-parent family payment for lone parents. When that report came back, it showed precisely that Government policy had an impact and made life more difficult for lone parents. Had that policy not been introduced in the first place or had a poverty impact assessment been done on it, perhaps many lone parents and their families would not have suffered so much. In some respects, reports can make a difference and the Minister should consider this. She has also made reference to the national carers' strategy, which was brought out in 2012 with no funding whatsoever. That was accepted by carers at the time. The money was not there and that was fine. A new one will come and that needs to have funding. On the income limits specifically, they have not moved since 2008 and the Minister should really look at this issue.

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