Paul Bradford (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I understand this matter relates to section 2, which is the inclusions, rather than section 3, the exclusions. There is currently a great national debate about the budgetary implications for carers. Perhaps it is, to use a word the Minister used earlier, "obvious", but across the country tens of thousands are in receipt of either carer's allowance or carer's benefit, to apply for which one certifies, and the State agrees, that one provides full-time care and attention for a particular person, and the State is also concurring that the person in question requires full-time care and attention. There are tens of thousands of such arrangements in existence for which the State is making a weekly allowance payable. What is the impact of the Bill on such arrangements? To apply for carer's allowance or carer's benefit, will a person require vetting or is there some exclusion clause? The great majority of carer's allowances are paid in respect of an elderly person and some of those elderly persons would be physically vulnerable. Does the legislation impact on these arrangements, and if not, should it?