Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

I fully appreciate what Senators are saying about the value of carers in our community and that they support looking after the young and old in their own homes. At present approximately 44,000 people are in receipt of a carer's payment. Of those 14,200 are getting the half-rate carer's allowance. Of course each of these will get the increase set out in the section of €7 or €3.50 for the half rate. To remove the means test completely would cost €150 million in a full year. I would question whether that would give us the best value for money. Senator Prendergast raised the need for more home help, which involves the Department of Health and Children. Some carers would claim they would like to see the money that goes towards means testing going towards more home help, more respite care, more community facilities and more day-care services that would be of support to carers who really need it rather than lifting the means test and giving it to those who may have financial means even though their demands as a carer would be great.

A carers' strategy is being prepared and is being co-ordinated through the Department of the Taoiseach, because it involves more than just social welfare and affects the areas of health and facilities. That strategy will be available in the new year. I am not convinced that amount of money is best spent by lifting a means test particularly when there are demands of all other areas.

The Christmas bonus has been always given to long-term social welfare recipients. That is why some people who have recently lost their jobs do not get it. These are people who would have been in employment until recent months. While I know it is very difficult for them now, the people on social welfare would have been depending on their €200 a week all year and have come to look forward to that Christmas bonus. I am glad we were able to give the 100% again this year despite the difficulties we have with our finances.

For those who cease to get jobseeker's benefit after one year, of course, if they do not have any other means, they will move on to the jobseeker's allowance, which is at the same level of payment. In all these payments we are particularly conscious of the difficulties people are having. One of the reasons there is such pressure on the Exchequer funding is that the budget for my Department is already €19.6 billion just trying to support people, not only the pensioners and carers who we regularly expect to be claiming, but also unfortunately the unemployed following a significant increase in the live register.