Michael McCarthy (Labour)

I move amendment No. 2:

In page 3, before section 2, to insert the following new section:

2.–The Minister shall as soon as may be after the passing of this Act prepare and lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a report on the implications of abolishing the means test for a carer's allowance and introducing a top-up carer's payment for those in receipt of another social welfare payment.

We had a lengthy debate on this matter earlier. The Minister gave details of the cost of the proposal. One of the points she made was that we do not know how many carers there are in the country. However, we could look at setting up a national carers' register and a data base for all carers so that we would know the exact number of people involved in caring for a dependant. We are currently attempting to second guess the numbers. Since the lack of statistics forms part of the argument which prevents the abolition of the means test, there is a greater case for introducing either a register or compiling a data base.

We owe a great debt of gratitude to the many thousands of carers for the support they provide in an area which falls into the responsibility of the State. In doing so they should be recognised. I have had cases, as I am sure has everyone else, of people not qualifying for the carer's allowance because of the means test, yet they were not well off. However, due to the structures which exist they did not satisfy the means test and were pushed to the point where they did not qualify at all. I appeal to the Minister's good nature to accept this amendment.