Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Go raibh maith agat for the information. It is fantastic to hear that there will be a webinar. I decided to raise this matter with the Minister of State because it has been highlighted to me by my constituents that there is an anomaly whereby some foster carers, most of whom are women, find themselves unable to qualify for full contributory State pensions. It is apparently possible to exceed the amount of credits allowed and simultaneously fall short in PRSI payments when fostering for long periods of time. This unfair situation is affecting foster care morale and deterring new foster carers from joining when we need them the most. That is the situation despite the fact that foster carers save the State millions of euros.

A grassroots group of foster carers called Movement for Change in Foster Care has pointed to the past three years of lobbying and holding meetings with Tusla and the Departments of Social Protection and Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. Its representatives say that in order to move beyond the stalemate, all three State agencies need to find a workable mechanism that will fit in with the pension rules so that no foster carer falls short in his or her pension entitlement because of time spent fostering.

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