Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy outlined a specific case where someone had retired and was going to look after his wife. There are situations where a person with fewer than 20 years of caring may be entitled to avail of home caring periods or the homemaker scheme, subject to existing qualification conditions. I do not think the person in the case the Deputy mentioned would qualify under that scheme. This scheme has only been in place since January this year. Like all schemes in my Department, we will review it and determine whether we can do something better or make changes. I take on board the case the Deputy has outlined and I will speak to my officials about it. I will not give him a promise that it will be fixed straight away, but we will certainly look at it.

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