Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The programme for Government committed to support family carers. We have also been told that a home care package will be in place by the end of the year. In that context, I ask the Minister about the Government and the Green Party position on the important issues relating to carer's allowance. Carer's allowance is means-tested. That means any household with a total gross income, before tax, USC etc., of less than €37,000 is entitled to full carer's allowance. That is a minimal amount of income. If the total gross income of a household is between €37,000 and €62,000, there is a sliding scale and a successful application for those earning €62,000 would mean approximately €10 per week in carer's allowance. Anybody earning €62,000 in gross income pays at least €20,000 in tax and USC. That shows how low the income disregards are. A person with a second property or savings of more than €20,000 starts to lose the carer's allowance. The Government has stated that will increase to €50,000 by June, which is positive and I am not minimising that change. However, it is still not enough. It is estimated that 25% of carers get carer's allowance. I know they are not all giving care full time but the Government needs to review those income disregards and get rid of the means test, which I have heard described as a "mean test" over many years.

It is also important to remember that to get carer's allowance, the person cared for must be medically assessed to be in need of full-time care. Crucially, carer's allowance is taxable, which means those who benefit most get the most income from carer's allowance.

However, this issue is not just about money. The Citizens' Assembly has said that care must be recognised in the Constitution and that Article 41 should be replaced by an article on care. That would mean the State would be obliged to support carers. The assembly also suggested the Government should increase the disregards on carer's allowance.

We are all aware of the cost of caring. Just a week or two ago, I was happy to launch, with Family Carers Ireland and the Vincentian Partnership for Social Justice, another report on the cost of caring. The main costs are around energy and transport. In that context, will the Minister commit to working to ensure carer's allowance is a qualifying payment for the fuel allowance?

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