Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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86. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to outline his plans for a pay-related carer’s benefit payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33117/25]

Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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I would appreciate if the Minister could update the House on his and his Department's plans for pay-related carer's benefit payment, given the importance of that particular payment and the need for a pay-related part of it for so many people.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Carer's benefit is, as the Deputy knows, a payment available to insured people who may need to leave work or reduce their hours to care for a person or people in need of full-time care and attention. It is financed from the Social Insurance Fund. Since January, the scheme has been extended to the self-employed. Recipients of carer's benefit were among the 138,000 carers who received a carer's support grant of €2,000 on 5 June. The Government fully acknowledges the incredible role that family carers play and we are fully committed to supporting carers. This is recognised in the programme for Government, which includes a number of commitments regarding carers, including the commitment to examine the introduction of pay-related carer's benefit for individuals who have to give up work suddenly in order to provide full-time care to a loved one.

The new jobseeker's pay-related benefit started in March. Developed from the experience during Covid, the scheme ensures that workers who are made unemployed receive enhanced benefits linked to their previous earnings. It is a relatively new payment but, as I said in response to the previous question, we intend to learn from our experience operating it. That experience and learning will help to inform future decisions regarding pay-related schemes, including, potentially, carer's benefit. In addition, we will be moving towards the implementation of the programme for Government commitment to abolish the carer's allowance means test. In this context, further consideration will be given to the potential knock-on effects for the carer's benefit scheme generally. We are fully committed to supporting family carers and I will always keep the range of supports provided by my Department under review. I expect to launch a consultation later this year on the further extension of pay-related schemes, including parent's benefit, and will also seek the views of Deputies and stakeholders about pay-related carer's benefit.

Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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It goes without saying that carers in this country save the State €20 billion. We know we have more than 500,000 carers in the State. One in nine of those people are reported to be trying to juggle a job and their caring responsibilities at the same time. I appreciate what the Minister said. Obviously the pay-related jobseeker's benefit is something new, as he said. What we are looking for and what is promised in the programme for Government is to protect the most vulnerable, who are those who have, in most cases, to give up work suddenly to look after a loved one. That is what we and so many people in the caring community are asking for, that the cliff edge is less severe than it could be by having a pay-related carer's benefit. I appreciate the Minister's reply, but I hope the carers and the huge role they play for the State will form a huge part of that review and consultation that the Minister is launching later in the year.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Absolutely. I think in a couple of weeks the Deputy will see a full indication of this Government's ongoing commitment to carers. As he knows, the carer's benefit is subject to an earnings limit of €450 per week after tax. As part of budget 2025, the income limit will increase to €625 with effect from July, which will allow far more carers to avail of carer's benefit. We also extended the flexibility regarding children who are in hospital or newborns who are kept in hospital. The carer's benefit payment has increased by €41 a week over the past four years. We will continue to support carers by increasing the number eligible for it and by ensuring that the weekly payment is as high as possible. I also want to ensure that those who have to make decisions to leave work, and in particular, considering the essence of the scheme, those who have a sudden change in income, are supported as well.

Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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I think we can both agree that the sudden change or cliff edge, as I call it, causes so many problems for so many people who have to leave work, and unfortunately their income drops accordingly. That is the issue that we are trying to raise with the Minister today. In fairness, he has come back to say that he recognises there is an issue and that he will review this as part of the consultation later in the year. Obviously that consultation relates to carers. I know we have already debated the carer's needs and the Minister has mentioned the means test as well. We will not go back over that today. Regarding pay-related carer's benefit, I will offer some support to the Minister in the form of the number of queries we have got in our office. It is important that we all play our part in that review and consultation. Various carers' associations will also want to be part of that consultation because that cliff edge and sudden drop in income, because you have to stay at home and because you cannot earn that income anymore, needs to be addressed urgently. I look forward to debating that and indeed helping the Minister with that consultation later in the year.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I have met the carers' forum in the Department. I will continue to use that forum with carers' groups for consultation. I am sure the joint committee will have good input on that, as well as Deputies in this House. We have made changes this year. As I said, carer's benefit was extended to the self-employed as part of budget 2025. At the end of April, we had 139 applications from self-employed people for carer's benefit. We paid the carer's support grant, which is the highest in its history, of €2,000 on 5 June. We will expand eligibility from 2 July. We are very much investing in carers. We have more to do and will continue to do that. I look forward to working with Deputies on that.