Paul Bradford (Fine Gael)

It is obvious that increases in social assistance payments are to be welcomed in any debate on social welfare. Such payments are made, following means tests, to assist those who have not paid sufficient PRSI contributions. This section lists the allowances to which it refers. Like many other Senators, I made specific reference to carer's allowance during the Second Stage debate. I asked the Minister to give serious consideration over the next few months, as plans are being made for the next budget and social welfare Bill, to the possibility of removing the means test element of the carer's allowance payment. This proposal has been around for almost as long as the carer's allowance payment. One of the Minister's predecessors, the late Séamus Brennan, discussed this issue in this House on a number of occasions. When he gave us an estimate, or guesstimate, of how much the removal of the means test would cost, the figure in question seemed quite reasonable. I appreciate that this debate is taking place in difficult economic times.

The carer's allowance payment has helped to transform the lives of thousands of people in all parts of the country. It allows many elderly people to remain in their own homes and communities, which is where they want to be. The State is getting extraordinarily good value for money from the carer's allowance scheme. A little flexibility has been introduced to the scheme over the years. It has been decided that a carer does not need to reside in the same house as the person being cared for, as long as there is a sufficient link between them. I welcome the decision to improve the income disregard figure significantly. I hope that kind of policy will continue. The kernel of the matter is the issue of universality, which we recently debated in the context of medical cards and college fees, etc. If there is one statement we should make in the context of universality, it is to give full support to elderly people who wish to remain in their own communities.

The Minister's colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, is currently introducing the fair deal nursing home scheme. I am sure it will represent an improvement on what is in place at present. Regardless of how good the fair deal scheme will be, or how well we look after people when we give them beds in nursing homes, our aspiration must be to help the maximum possible number of people to remain in their own homes and communities. The carer's allowance payment is a key aspect of this policy position. I ask the Minister, Deputy Hanafin, to ensure her political priority in her current portfolio is to dramatically reform the carers allowance scheme so that everybody who provides full-time care to those who need such attention gets the maximum carer's allowance payment without being subject to a means test. Such a strong statement of social solidarity would make it clear that this country has an ethos of looking after its elderly people. We all aspire to be elderly at some stage in the future.

The care of the elderly in this country is not just a matter for nursing homes. Most people prefer to remain in their own communities, regardless of how well nursing homes are run, how clean the beds are and how fine the rooms are. The carer's allowance scheme plays a significant part in allowing people to remain in their homes and communities with their families, friends and neighbours. The Government, and society as a whole, are getting excellent value from each payment of approximately €240 a week. I appreciate that we will not change the carers allowance regime this afternoon. As I do almost every year, I plead for improvements in the scheme. I am glad that Ministers and Governments have listened and made improvements in the past five or six years. The real step that needs to be taken, politically and economically, is to declare that we will ensure that those who provide full-time care to elderly people who need such attention will be rewarded with the maximum carer's allowance, which is a modest payment. I know what we should do if we have to decide whether to pay €250 a week to a carer, or to direct between €500 and €800 to a nursing home.

I ask the Minister to put this matter at the top of her agenda as she plans for the next few difficult months and the inevitably difficult budget that will follow the recent budget. In times of difficulty and limited resources there are areas of economic and social policy in which we must try to make a real difference. In the social welfare Bills in the past five or six years, the one area that stands out is the carer's allowance. I welcome those improvements. One fundamental further step needs to be taken. It is a political statement of ethos as to what we stand for regarding our elderly. We want to see the maximum numbers of our elderly living out their lives in their homes and communities. I would like to get the Minister's views on the matter. She should give it serious political attention in the coming months. There have been reports and analysis. We now need genuine political will.

I strongly commend the attitude of one of the Minister's predecessors, the late Séamus Brennan. He made a difference through various amendments to regulations and rules. He seemed willing to work towards removing the means test for this payment. I ask the Minister to continue that work.