Fergal Browne (Fine Gael)

I move recommendation No. 3:

In page 7, between lines 28 and 29, to insert the following subsection:

"(2) Section 472 of the Principal Act is amended in subsection (4)-

(a) by inserting 'or proves that he or she is a home-carer' after 'purposes referred to in that section', and

(b) by inserting the following paragraph after paragraph (b):

'(c) in the case of a home-carer, a credit of the amount referred to in paragraph (a) will be provided against the income of the employed spouse.'.".

The recommendation seeks to introduce a provision whereby the value of the home carer's allowance would be linked to the PAYE allowance. The home carer's allowance was introduced by the Minister when he introduced his proposals on individualisation. There was a widespread belief on the Government backbenches as well as elsewhere in the House that we needed to acknowledge those who chose to stay at home and that the home carer's allowance was an appropriate way of doing so. In the intervening period, although the benefits of individualisation have substantially increased and run now to several thousand euros for those on top pay, no effort has been made to increase the home carer's benefit.