Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

We have moved this motion to recognise the invaluable contribution of carers to Irish society. We want to acknowledge the fact that there are half a million carers right across this country who are providing vital care daily, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. These carers deserve recognition not just in words, but through practical support. The introduction of a non-means-tested carer’s allowance that would focus solely on care needs rather than on financial status would help to provide that recognition to many of these carers.

There is also the fact that the carer’s allowance means test not only puts a financial burden on carers in terms of trying to comply with the rules and regulations, it also causes huge fear for carers with regard to the threat, the chilling effect, that they may lose their carer’s allowance. Those who are providing care 24 hours a day, 365 days a year should never be put in a position in which they are living in dread of a review form coming through the post or in fear of a financial loss. They are so dependent on this to meet their day-to-day needs, in many cases to meet the heating needs of the older person, and to meet many of the additional costs of caring, such as transport, attending hospital and so on. We should not put people in Irish society under that fear and anxiety when they are providing such a vital service.

I acknowledge that the Government has done a considerable amount to support carers. The Oireachtas joint committee has worked closely with the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, to increase the income thresholds and extend the supports relating to the State contributory pension. This is all very positive. However, I want to turn to the argument that has been put forward here by the Government about the potential cost of abolishing the means test for the carer’s allowance.

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In his opening contribution today, the Minister said his officials had, conservatively predicted that it would cost €600 million. I have never come across any Department official coming forward with a conservative figure, because that is not the way they work. The reality is that we are talking about 132,000 people in receipt of the carer's support grant. If we put that against the numbers that are already receiving the carer's allowance, we are talking about 34,500 additional carers who would get the carer's allowance. Therefore, it is not the conservative figure that the Department came up with; the reality is it would be about half of that.

The Parliamentary Budget Office carried out an independent assessment of the cost of abolishing the means test for the carer's allowance and its figure is €375 million. That does not take into account the significant administration cost involved in currently managing the means test. We are coming to a cost closer to €300 million per annum to ensure that carers in this country providing full-time care do not have to worry about the fear of a means assessment for the care and support they provide every single day of the year.

I accept that this cannot happen overnight, but what we want to see is a commitment from the Government to put a roadmap in place to back the evidence that has been provided by the study from Maynooth University and a significant increase in the means allowance for carers in the budget next week. I refer to the additional income they can have while they continue to provide care. It is not income that they are getting, as in many cases it happens to be their spouse's income. They should not be denied this support because someone in the family goes out to work.

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