Results 161-180 of 1,032,193 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Brian Ó Domhnaill OR speaker:Claire Kerrane) in 'Committee meetings'

Carer's Allowance Means Test: Motion [Private Members] (25 Sep 2024)

Michael Collins: The means test for the carer's allowance is a significant barrier for many carers who need financial support. Currently, there are 299,128 carers in Ireland but only 96,826 receive the carer's allowance. This means a large number of carers are missing out on essential financial support. Abolishing this test will ensure that all carers receive the assistance they deserve regardless of their...

Carer's Allowance Means Test: Motion [Private Members] (25 Sep 2024)

Catherine Connolly: I thank Deputy Canney and his colleagues for tabling this motion. I have no hesitation in supporting it. The abolition of the means test for carers is the most basic step we can take in a republic to give that word meaning. We stand here today awaiting a Supreme Court decision concerning a case in which a woman has been forced to take a judicial review all the way to the Supreme Court. I...

Carer's Allowance Means Test: Motion [Private Members] (25 Sep 2024)

Marian Harkin: I thank the Regional Group for tabling this motion on eliminating the means test for family carers. It echoes part of the motion I tabled on supporting family carers. While there are many ways in which family carers need to be supported, eliminating the means test for the carer's allowance is one of my two top priorities alongside the provision of adequate respite care for family carers....

Carer's Allowance Means Test: Motion [Private Members] (25 Sep 2024)

Michael Ring: Thank you, Deputy.

Carer's Allowance Means Test: Motion [Private Members] (25 Sep 2024)

Marian Harkin: Yesterday, I listened to the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, speaking about this issue. He informed us that the cost would be between €600 million and €2 billion. That is off the charts; it is nothing like that.

Carer's Allowance Means Test: Motion [Private Members] (25 Sep 2024)

Michael Ring: The Deputy is taking her colleague's time.

Carer's Allowance Means Test: Motion [Private Members] (25 Sep 2024)

Marian Harkin: The Minister should be better informed.

Carer's Allowance Means Test: Motion [Private Members] (25 Sep 2024)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I support this motion. A lot of nursing homes have closed. No one can put a value on the amount of help that people give in their own homes to help elderly or young people. I listened to "Today with Claire Byrne" this morning. A mother of a child with autism was on the show. She had a coffee shop which she had to close but because she and her husband worked hard and they had a few pound...

Carer's Allowance Means Test: Motion [Private Members] (25 Sep 2024)

Richard O'Donoghue: Carers. It is in the wording. It is carers. I am from a family of 11. In his last number of months and years, people came to care for my father. As a big family, we were able to do much of it ourselves but we had people who came in part-time. I cannot thank people who do that kind of work enough. The dignity and the home life they have, being cared for in their own home, is...

Carer's Allowance Means Test: Motion [Private Members] (25 Sep 2024)

Danny Healy-Rae: I thank the Regional Group for this important motion and for giving us the chance to debate it. The Government appears to be fudging on this. Support is not good enough without acting and providing the carers with the facility so that they do not have to go through a means test, because many carers are seeing after people out of the goodness of their heart. One thing that people who need...

Carer's Allowance Means Test: Motion [Private Members] (25 Sep 2024)

Michael Healy-Rae: I thank the Regional Group for tabling this important motion. We in the Rural Independent Group tabled a motion before, where we were adamant that the means test should be abolished. It has no place in a modern society because many of the people who are giving care are giving up other employment. They are not earning somewhere else because all they have to rely on is the carer's allowance....

Carer's Allowance Means Test: Motion [Private Members] (25 Sep 2024)

Michael Ring: I thank the Deputy. The next up is People Before Profit-Solidarity, and Deputies Paul Murphy and Mick Barry. They have six minutes in total.

Carer's Allowance Means Test: Motion [Private Members] (25 Sep 2024)

Paul Murphy: Eight, I think. It is just me.

Carer's Allowance Means Test: Motion [Private Members] (25 Sep 2024)

Michael Ring: It is just Deputy Murphy. I thank the Deputy.

Carer's Allowance Means Test: Motion [Private Members] (25 Sep 2024)

Paul Murphy: I welcome this motion. It is good that we are discussing it. We in People Before Profit are long-time supporters and advocates of abolishing the means test for the carer's allowance. We have included it in our alternative budget, which we will be launching on Friday. We are also proposing turning the carer's allowance into a non-means-tested living wage of at least €15 an hour, or...

Carer's Allowance Means Test: Motion [Private Members] (25 Sep 2024)

Denis Naughten: Clarity of focus.

Carer's Allowance Means Test: Motion [Private Members] (25 Sep 2024)

Seán Sherlock: There is also clarity of thought and purpose, as Deputy Naughten said. The Minister of State said: The reality is that abolishing the means test would result in people who may have higher sources of income benefitting while reducing the scope for the Department to provide income supports to lower income thresholds. He went on to say, "Officials in the Department have conservatively...

Carer's Allowance Means Test: Motion [Private Members] (25 Sep 2024)

Gary Gannon: I thank the Regional Group for tabling this is an important motion. We have seen many others like it over the past 18 months. The motion is a reflection of the justified pressured that is placed on all of us as public representatives when we knock on doors, meet people and hear these hard stories. A sum of €600 million to abolish the means testing for the carer's allowance does not...

Carer's Allowance Means Test: Motion [Private Members] (25 Sep 2024)

Martin Browne: Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach Gníomhach. I also thank the Regional Independent Group for bringing this motion before the House. For people who contribute so much to the well-being of people who need care, it is unjustifiable that carers are expected to contribute so much, yet are expected live on payments that fall way below the established minimum essential standard...

Carer's Allowance Means Test: Motion [Private Members] (25 Sep 2024)

Paul Donnelly: I thank the Members for bringing forward this motion. We all know that there is absolutely no doubt that there is a need for reform in the carer's allowance scheme. I, like many others, have met many carers in the work that we do, in our canvassing and in chatting with people. The work they do is absolutely immeasurable. If we were to count that support and their care in just monetary...