David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 48: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the supports provided by the State for carers; his views on whether they are adequate and equitable; his plans to enhance these supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17345/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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Supporting carers in our society has been a priority of the Government since 1997. Over that period, weekly payment rates for carer's allowance have been greatly increased, qualifying conditions have been significantly eased and coverage of the scheme has been extended. In addition, new schemes such as carer's benefit and the respite care grant have been introduced.

I announced several improvements for carers in the last budget which will benefit existing recipients of carer's payments and will extend supports to carers who have not previously been eligible for those payments. Regarding the means test for carer's allowance, I have increased the weekly income disregards to €270 for a single person and to €540 for a couple, with effect from this month. That means that a couple with two children can earn up to €30,700 and receive the maximum rate of carer's allowance, while the same couple can earn up to €49,200 and receive the minimum rate of carer's allowance, free travel, the household benefits package and the respite care grant.

It is estimated that those changes will result in an additional 1,000 new carers qualifying for a carer's allowance, free travel, the household benefits package and the respite care grant. In addition, 2,400 existing carers who are currently in receipt of reduced carer's allowance will receive an increase in their weekly payment over and above the general rate increase that they would receive in the normal way.

In response to the Joint Committee on Social and Family Affairs, which stated that the greatest need identified by family carers is the need for a break from caring, I made provision in budget 2005 for major improvements to the respite care grant. That includes the increase of the grant to €1,000 and its extension to all persons providing full-time care and attention, regardless of their means.

Those persons in receipt of other social welfare payments, excluding unemployment assistance and benefit, will be entitled to the payment, subject to meeting the full-time care condition. That arrangement is being introduced to acknowledge the needs of carers, especially regarding respite, and it is estimated that overall almost 33,000 carers will receive a respite care grant from June.

With regard to carer's benefit, one of the conditions of the scheme was that while the carer might work for up to ten hours per week, he or she could not earn more than €150 per week. I improved that aspect of the scheme by increasing that income ceiling from €150 to €270 per week. That measure, which took effect from April, allows those carers who are in a position to work for up to ten hours per week to earn extra income and, equally importantly, it may keep the carer in touch with his or her workplace.

Another condition of that scheme was that the applicant must have been engaged in full-time paid employment as an employed contributor for the three-month period immediately prior to claiming carer's benefit. I have eased that condition with effect from April to make it easier for carers with an atypical work pattern to qualify.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

Government policy is strongly in favour of supporting care in the community and enabling people to remain in their own homes for as long as possible. The types of services which recognise the value of the caring ethos and which provide real support and practical assistance to the people involved will continue to be developed, and all allowances and systems of support will be kept under regular review.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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One of the conditions governing the scheme, as I am sure the Minister is aware, is that a person may claim only one payment from his Department. Is he aware of the needs of old age pensioners and the widowed who are caring and may receive only one payment? Does he know how many such people there are? Has he carried out research into the area? How much extra would it cost to give them at least half the payment recommended by the Joint Committee on Social and Family Affairs? What moves has he made in that regard?

Does he feel that current supports are adequate and equitable, especially taking into account the group I mentioned, namely, old age pensioners and the widowed caring for adult dependants at home under trying conditions, who very often perceive that their payment is taken from them or stopped as soon as they reach 66. In their view, they are penalised for reaching pension age, since at that stage the carer's allowance is stopped and they must choose between it and the old age pension. Is that fair and right, and does the Minister plan to address it?

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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I could never put my hand on my heart and say that we are doing enough for carers, who deserve every support we can give them. We must continue to make improvements and, as I said, we have made substantial improvements, both in the budget and in the legislation that followed. The new respite grant will be paid to approximately 9,000 full-time carers who would otherwise qualify for nothing. From June €1,000 will be paid to an estimated full complement of 33,000 carers, 9,000 of whom will be additional because there will be no means test. It is not intended as a payment as such but as recognition of the valuable work they do.

I am aware of all the arguments and I continue to consider them. There is a basic rule in welfare that one receives one payment, and I am examining what is possible there. Many widows provide full-time care and attention. Many old age pensioners also provide it. The Deputy is right that they either get the old age pension or the widow's allowance. By and large they do not move to the carer's allowance. The Joint Committee on Social and Family Affairs recommended that they get a half rate. There are substantial implications in moving from the concept of one payment. It throws up a number of anomalies across the board. We need to be sure it is the way to go given the implications in terms of welfare for a payment other than a single payment to a person. I will continue to examine that. I do not have a cost for it, but the cost of removing the means test is about €160 million per annum. A half rate payment would be very substantial, costing many millions of euro.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Does the Minister think it is right that someone caring for an adult dependant and in receipt of the carer's allowance no longer receives that allowance when he or she reaches retirement age? As the person gets older, the allowance is taken away. Will he address this given that his Department is, thankfully, saving millions in fraud detection and other areas? Can he give details showing the figures? How many people are affected by this and how much would it cost to move it at least to a half payment? Does he know when this further review will be finished?

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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I never apologise for reviews. One learns something every day as people move from one payment to another so it would be silly not to review it every day. I keep everything under constant review as we learn how things operate from dealing with people. The Deputy is wrong, although accurate, to phrase it in the way he chose. It is accurate to the extent that if one is on a carer's allowance and gets to a pensionable age, one has the option to hold on to the carer's allowance or move over to the pension. If one decides to hold on to the allowance, then it is not taken from that person, which gives the wrong impression. There is a rule in the social welfare code that states that a person gets one payment only, but we are currently working on that to see what is possible. This year I decided to give a one-off payment every June of €1,000 to everyone involved in full-time care irrespective of their means. I did this to give them a break because the all-party committee emphasised the need for people to get a break from caring.

There will be improvements in other areas and I will examine where additional payments are possible. There are many thousands of widows and hundreds of thousands of old age pensioners.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Many of them are carers.

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The cost would be very substantial.