Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

They are more likely than anybody else. The people will not be caught by that cut either. There is no doubt that the disregards, additional benefits and supports for carers have been increased significantly over recent years. A couple with two children earning €60,000 can still get the carer's allowance as the income disregards are very generous. A carer gets free travel and household benefits such as free fuel, irrespective of whether he or she lives with the person for whom he or she is caring.

I met with representatives of the Carers Association and read all the submissions. Senators have also met the group. They highlighted two items in particular. They did not want the half rate carer's allowance to be taken away and they did not want the respite care grant to be taken away. There would have been less of an outcry about reducing a grant than there would have been about reducing the rate, as that is a sensitive action. Had we reduced the grant, we would have ended up taking more money from more people, which would not have been fair. The respite care grant is the only payment received by people who give full-time care and attention but do not qualify for a carer's allowance.

It was a balancing act and we were asked specifically not to touch these two items, and we did not. That shows we have made the effort, as far as possible, to support carers and to expand significantly the range of support and services available for them.

If we had not made the cuts in social welfare, they would have had to come from some other sector of Government expenditure. We are taking some from public sector pay so the only remaining area was services. The services to persons with disability or carers have not been cut.