Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I would like to follow on from Deputy Bruton's question on carers and go a step further by making a plea that we use budget 2025 as an opportunity to once and for all take away the income limit on the means test for carer's allowance. Time and again, every TD has carers coming into his or her office who are €100, €50 or €20 over the means test. There is no flexibility or discretion from the Department in awarding carer's allowance. These people dedicate every minute of their lives to looking after loved ones and they need our help the most. I ask that consideration be given and that, at the very least, we do a cost analysis of getting rid of the means test for carer's allowance in budget 2025.

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