Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Throughout the term of this Government, we have sought to make sure the interests of carers and the people they care for remain a focus of our priorities. During the pandemic and the cost-of-living pressures, and notwithstanding the significant demands on the Exchequer, the Government has worked to ensure those on caring payments and the people they care for have been supported. The approach we have taken to date has been targeted and has involved increases to payment rates in conjunction with earnings disregard increases. As the Minister mentioned in her opening statement, the changes to income disregards for carer's allowance were the first changes to be made to carer's allowance means tests in 14 years. Changes meant that carers on a reduced rate moved to a higher payment. In addition, many carers who did not qualify for a payment due to their means are now brought into the carer's allowance system for the first time.

As the Minister has previously stated, she has committed to carrying out a broader review of means testing this year which will include a review of carer's allowance means test provisions. I flag as well that it will also include the overtime issue raised by Deputy Sherlock earlier. It is important to acknowledge that there are a range of other supports for carers provided by the Department which are not based on a means assessment such as the carer's support grant, carer's benefit and the domiciliary care allowance. The carer's support grant is a payment for all carers, even those not in receipt of carer's allowance. It can be claimed by carers regardless of their means or social insurance contributions. This grant was increased as part of budget 2021 to €1,850 - its highest ever rate. It is estimated that expenditure on this grant will be over €268 million in 2023. Carer's benefit is based on social insurance contributions. It is a payment made to people who may be required to leave the workforce or reduce their working hours to care for a person in need of full-time care. It is payable for a period of up to two years for each care recipient and is estimated to cost €48 million in 2023. Domiciliary care allowance is payable to a parent or guardian in respect of a child who has a severe disability and requires continual or continuous care and attention, substantially over and above the care and attention usually required by a child of the same age. As part of budget 2023, we increased the rate of the payment by €20.50 to €330 per month. Expenditure this year is expected to be almost €247 million. Since 2015, there have been significant increases across all carer's schemes. The number of people claiming carer's allowance has increased by 52%; the number of people claiming carer's benefit has increased by 68%; and the largest relative increases were to domiciliary care allowances with an increase to 82% of recipients.

Of course there are other improvements we can make that will positively impact on carers. The Government has committed, as part of decisions made on foot of the Pensions Commission recommendations, to providing contributions that can be used to qualify for a pension to carers who are out of the workforce due to caring responsibilities for long periods and who were previously unable to qualify based on their social insurance contributions. This was announced as part of a series of landmark reforms of the State pension system in September. Officials in the Department are working to operationalise it for January 2024. While the Department of Social Protection provides very valuable income supports, carers often have more wide-ranging and broader needs including respite care, home care hours and access to disability services. Therefore, this Government has made a number of commitments specifically for carers, including reviewing and updating the national carers' strategy. This review is being led by the Department of Health and will address broader issues facing family carers. The Department of Health is also working to establish a commission on care in line with the programme for Government commitment. This commission will assess how care for older people is provided and how to better align care that is provided in different settings, including in the home and by family carers.

Earlier this month, the Taoiseach and the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth announced the Government's intention to hold a referendum on gender equality as recommended by the Citizens' Assembly on Gender Equality and the special Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality. These recommendations include replacing Article 41(2) with non-gender-specific language and providing recognition of care within the home and the wider community. It is envisaged that the referendum will take place in November of this year.

The Government is very aware of the challenges faced by young carers and echoes the sentiment that they would be supported to have opportunities and a life outside of their caring role.

The national carers' strategy commits to supporting children and young people with caring responsibilities and to protecting them from adverse impacts of caring. The Departments of Education and Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and the HSE are tasked with actions such as raising awareness among education providers about young carers and identifying support services needed by young carers. The Dormant Accounts Fund from the Departments of Social Protection and Rural and Community Development is being used to support projects that will help these young carers. Last December, funding of almost €700,000 was provided to support projects aimed at improving the lives of carers, including young carers. Projects selected under the fund included the establishment of a young carers' national online support network as well as targeted activities such as career advice and preparation for college and training. Successful projects under this initiative will run until June 2024.

As the Minister previously stated, this Government continues to improve supports for carers and those they care for. However, all Governments must try to balance competing demands. The priority is to support people who are trying to make ends meet and to help the most vulnerable in our society. While this includes carers, it also includes older people, people with disabilities and low-income families. Maintaining social welfare rates at an adequate level within the fiscal resources available to Government is an ongoing process and is guided by evidence on supporting those most in need. An integral part of the annual budget process is assessing potential changes to payments and supports so that we can target scarce resources towards those most at risk of poverty. The Government will continue to keep the range of income supports available to carers under review so that the overall objectives of the schemes are met.

It is important to emphasise that the Department of Social Protection is committed to continuing its long-standing practice of consultation and close engagement with stakeholder representative groups for carers and people with disabilities. The Department will host the annual carers' forum in May, which will be attended by a range of Departments. This will be an opportunity to hear first-hand the experience of family carers.

See this speech in context