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

I thank the Deputy for raising those issues. In the first instance, if someone has had to give up work due to the need to provide full-time care for somebody at home, I strongly recommend that they apply for the carer's benefit because very generous assistance is available there. If the person has been paying their contributions they can apply for that payment to help them do that work.

The second issue related to long-term full-time carers, that is, those who have been caring for many years, perhaps for somebody with disabilities, and have given their lives to looking after those people. In respect of such carers who have not been able to take up employment or had that opportunity, the points made by the Deputy are correct. I have asked the Pensions Commission to look at that issue because it affects women in particular. Women and mothers who have spent a lifetime looking after their children have been unable to take up employment for that very reason and do not have the credits when it comes to pension age and cannot get a contributory pension. I feel strongly about the need to look at this issue. It concerns in particular those who are providing full-time care because there are many different types of carers. There are carers who provide X number of hours a week and others who provide care 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Pensions Commission will look at that whole issue.

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