Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Family Carers Ireland, in its biannual state of caring report, reported that 1,484 carers were caring for a total of 1,984 people across a range of caring situations, including parents caring for a child with an illness or disability, those caring for an adult, carers of older people and those caring for multiple people. Carers do a fantastic job and, as I have often stated in this House, they save the State a fortune. We must do more to provide additional flexibility around the means threshold to ensure parents and carers can be supported in caring for their child.

I want to take this opportunity to thank all carers in Ireland for the vital and valuable contribution they make in society and in all our local communities. Their commitment and work in supporting those who need help and support is hugely important and is greatly appreciated. I commend all carers but commendations do not pay the bills and they do not replace monetary recognition for the work carers do and the life put on hold.

As we know, at present the carer's allowance is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that they require that level of care. The means assessment allows for a weekly income disregard of €350 for a single person and €750 for a couple. However, for single mothers, any maintenance payments are included in the gross weekly income. If someone is under 66 and caring for one person, the maximum weekly rate is €236, with an increase of €42 at the full rate or €21 at the half rate for a child dependant. If a person is in receipt of another social welfare payment in their own right, other than unemployment payments or supplementary welfare allowance, or is being claimed as a qualified adult on their spouse or partner's payment, they are only eligible to a half-rate carer's allowance. At the half rate, some carers' allowances equate to 78 cent per hour. That is a slap in the face.

Carers often have to take out loans to cover the cost of wheelchairs and rising energy or heating costs, which can be more than most due to illness. The means test often does not take into consideration the extra waste disposal charges due to medical waste, or the fact that carers have to pay charges for having prescription drug sheets written up every six months. Some have to travel regularly for appointments and incur the cost of parking, fuel, childcare etc. That is on 78 cent an hour. None of these things matter to the means test but they matter greatly to the carers who are struggling to pay for them.

Taking these facts into consideration, I am calling for a review of the carer's allowance, including the abolition of the means test and an increase in the amount paid to reflect that for many, this is a full-time, 24-7 job. While I acknowledge the work of the Minister in implementing the annual grant increase of €1,850 in her first budget as Minister for Social Protection, I would highlight that this is not means tested, and rightly so. It is available to all carers providing full-time care to an older person or a person with a disability, regardless of their means or social insurance contributions. On top of this, we must also invest the resources needed to adequately address the gross inadequacy of children’s disability services.

Let us acknowledge that being a carer is saving the State a fortune - up to €1,500 per week for residential care. I acknowledge carers’ immense contribution. It is a job from which family carers get no statutory rights to holiday or sick pay, mandated breaks or any of the other rights and entitlements the rest of us enjoy. It is a full-time occupation. Many carers leave their jobs because of the work they have at home looking after children with complex needs. These carers may not be able to access carer's allowance due to the means test threshold.

As we navigate the current cost-of-living crisis and recognise the hardship many families are experiencing in looking after their loved ones, now is the time to reassess the value we place on care and to review how family carers are recognised and supported financially by the State. We need to support the family carers who support our society. Every mother or father who cares for a special needs child from birth should be paid the carer’s allowance in full, no questions asked. It is hard enough for parents in general, never mind parents who are full-time carers.

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