Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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68. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she has any plans to review the two-year, or 104-week, limit for the carer's benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59213/22]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the opportunity to ask the Minister whether she has plans to review the two-year, or 104-week, limit that applies to the carer's benefit and whether she will make a statement on the matter.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Moynihan for raising this matter. The main income supports to carers provided by my Department include the carer's allowance, carer's benefit, domiciliary care allowance and carer's support grant. Spending on these in 2022 is expected to be in excess of €1.5 billion.

The carer's benefit is a payment made to insured people who leave the workforce to care for someone in need of full-time care and attention. A person may be eligible for the carer's benefit if he or she has sufficient PRSI contributions. The carer's benefit is payable for a maximum period of 104 weeks for each person being cared for. It can be taken in one block or in separate periods as long as the combined total does not exceed 104 weeks. This payment is complemented by the Carer's Leave Act 2001, which allows employees to leave their employment temporarily to provide full-time care for someone in need of full-time care and attention. A person is entitled to take carer's leave of at least 13 weeks up to a maximum of 104 weeks. It should be noted that not all those claiming the carer's benefit opt to remain in payment for the full 104 weeks. The average duration regarding the benefit was 76.1 weeks between 2018 and 2021.

Where care is provided beyond the period of entitlement to carer's benefit, the means-tested carer's allowance is available for those in need of income support. These arrangements ensure the efficient use of public funds while assisting those who need to take time out for caring and are in need of an income support.

Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister for the reply outlining the fact that the average duration is 76.1 weeks. People receiving the carer's benefit are predominantly caring for a relative with a very serious health diagnosis. We constantly come across cases where a partner in a couple has to leave the workforce to provide care to a child full time. Such a person gets the carer's benefit for two years. The benefit was designed in 2001 and has helped an enormous number of families over the years. When the 104 weeks are up, an individual cannot claim any other benefit. I accept the Minister's point on the public purse but there is a case to be made for considering the circumstances of those with considerable care needs. I ask the Minister and Department to investigate whether the benefit can be made available on a long-term basis. The beneficiaries would have paid PRSI. Maybe there could be an extension in this regard.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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No more than the Deputy, I meet carers all the time in my constituency office. We help them to fill out the forms and follow up on their applications. The carers do great work.

It is particularly difficult when we see a mother who has had to give up work in order to care for a child full-time.

One of my priorities when I became Minister for Social Protection was to do whatever I could to support our carers because I know well the huge work they do and contribution they make to our society. In my first budget in the Department, I increased the carer's support grant to €1,850, the highest ever level. In last year's budget, I was the first Minister in 14 years to make changes to the carer's means test. Those changes mean the first €50,000 in savings is disregarded and a couple can have weekly earnings of up to €750 and still qualify.

As part of this year's budget, carers got a double payment in October. They will get another double payment next week as part of the Christmas bonus. They also got a special €500 carer's support grant last week. Those three measures alone will put an extra €1,000 in carer's pockets. From January, carers will get a €12 increase in their weekly payment, the largest increase since the mid-2000s.

Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I congratulate the Minister on the change to means-testing, the increase in the payments and what was known as respite care and the €500 payment issues last week. Those measures are very beneficial. Families we deal with are extremely grateful for the funding they have received. This issue comes up constantly at the Joint Committee on Disability Matters.

The 2001 Act introduced carer's benefit for two years. We can only guess why the average is what it is, but everyone has a fair idea of why that is the case. When a partner gives up a full-time position, having paid PRSI from the start of his or her working life, there is a case to be made to examine and perhaps the expand the scheme. I ask the Minister to review the position and determine the cost and how many families would benefit from a change.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I take on board the points made by the Deputy. As part of our State pension reforms, I am committed to providing a pension to our long-term carers. We are doing a lot of work to support carers, which is absolutely right because they do wonderful work. I take on board the points the Deputy has made regarding carer's benefit. All benefit payments are time-bound. I will discuss the points he has made with my officials. As Minister for Social Protection, my number one aim is to keep people out of poverty. In order to start to pay carers for the work they do, there needs to be a discussion with the Department of Health on the role played by carers.