Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

On the basis of what she has just said to the House, I encourage the Minister to work with her Government colleagues on this issue, in particular for those people who applied for the carer's allowance several years ago, or up to a decade ago in some cases. Over that time, that person's partner may have had an increase in salary. Many of those people do not understand that it is a means-tested payment and then inadvertently find themselves in the situation where they are beyond the threshold. They then become concerned and worried about the situation. We need to move beyond the idea that caring for somebody calls for a means tested payment. There should be a payment for caring. I encourage the Minister to work with her Government colleagues and I am happy to work with her from the Fianna Fáil perspective.

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