Maire Devine (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 3:

In page 17, between lines 18 and 19, to insert the following: “Report on financial impact of changes to hours Carers can work outside the home

28.The Minister shall prepare and produce a report on the impact of the increase in hours carers in receipt of Carer’s Allowance can work outside the home from 15 hours to 18.5 hours without a corresponding increase in the earnings disregard and that the report shall be presented to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Employment Affairs and Social Protection within 4 months of the enactment of this Act.”.

Amendment No. 3 relates to change announced in budget 2020 which increases the number hours that carers may work or study outside the home from 15 to 18.5. This was touched on in the debate on Second Stage last week. The increase is very welcome and was a priority for carers and the organisations that represent them. However, there has been no increase in the earnings disregard. It is not possible to do one without the other. The level of income disregard has remained static. Next year will be its 20th anniversary unless we reverse the decision not to increase it. Towards 2016 included a commitment by Government to expand the income disregard for carer's allowance so that those on the average industrial wage would qualify. By the end of 2018, average industrial earnings were approximately €762 while the income disregard for carer's allowance is €332 for a single person and €665 for a couple. Family Carers Ireland has highlighted the impact that increasing the hours carers can work without increasing the earnings disregard will have. The Minister should not ignore those concerns. I hope she will agree to the amendment.

Amendment No. 4 also relates to carers. The number one priority for carers, as outlined in Family Carers Ireland’s budget 2020 submission, is to “Reform the means test for Carer’s Allowance”. Alarm bells should sound when we see that only one in five of carers in Ireland receive carer’s allowance. The eligibility criteria are far too strict and are actively preventing carers from accessing social welfare supports for the caring they do. I expect many carers are immediately put off from even bothering to apply for carer’s allowance when they see the criteria involved and the evidence required. I am reminded of a case where a son wanted to apply for carer’s allowance in respect of his 87 year old widowed mother with whom he lived. He took on the small family farm after the death of his father and did not work aside from looking after his mother and the farm. In order to prove that he spent less than the then maximum of 15 hours on the family farm per week, the carer’s allowance section wanted to know how much land he farmed and how many cattle he had in order to work out how much time he spent on the farm. I would love to know how they worked it out. Ultimately, he withdrew his application for carer’s allowance. If a person cares for another person keeping them at home, then they are a carer and they should be assisted and supported by your Department. The current means test does not assist or support carers. There are over 200,000 unpaid carers, many of whom will feel they cannot meet the criteria relating to the means test.

Amendment No. 11 in the name of Senator Higgins is similar to the amendment in my name. I would be happy to submit a joint amendment with her on Report Stage if this amendment is not accepted.