Michael McCarthy (Labour)

The changes made by the Government to the rent supplement are a crude act which has obliterated the increases. There are about 50,000 carers who are being consistently neglected by the Government. They are providing an invaluable service but their efforts and dedication have not been recognised by the Minister for Finance in his successive budgets. There is an additional €7 per week for carers under 66 years. The weekly income disregard is €19 under the carer's allowance scheme. The income per week threshold is €150 for those in receipt of carer's benefit, for those who wish to engage in limited self-employment. That is not good enough. My party has consistently proposed the abolition of the means test for carer's allowance.