Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Byrne for raising this important issue. The Government acknowledges and I personally acknowledge the important role that family carers play. We are fully committed to supporting carers in that role. This commitment is recognised in both the programme for Government and the national carers strategy. My Department provides a range of income supports to financially assist family carers whose caring responsibilities limit their ability to work. The main income supports provided include carer's allowance, carer's benefit, domiciliary care allowance and the carer's support grant. Over 135,000 carers benefit from regular income supports and spending on these payments in 2021 is expected to be in the region of €1.5 billion.

The value of income transfers to family carers has increased by over 50% since 2015. Carer's allowance is the main scheme by which the Department provides income support to carers in the community. Carer's allowance is a means-tested social assistance payment awarded to those carers who are caring for certain people who need full-time care and attention. Carer's allowance is intended to provide an income support for the carer and does not depend on individual care requirements. Where carers are providing care to more than one person, an increase of 50% is applicable. Carers may also, subject to certain conditions, qualify for the household benefits package and the free travel scheme. In some circumstances, carer's allowance can also be paid at a half rate with other social welfare payments such as pensions and disability payments.

The number of hours that a carer can work while still being considered to be providing full-time care and attention was increased from 15 to 18.5 per week in January 2020. As the Senator is aware, in responding to Covid-19, my Department has made special provisions for those who have lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic. A carer whose work ceases as a result of Covid-19 and whose situation qualifies him or her for the pandemic unemployment payment will get the payment along with their current carer income support, whether carer's allowance or carer's benefit. The means test for carer's allowance is one of the most generous in the social protection system. Currently, €332.50 of gross weekly income is disregarded in the calculation of means for a single person. The equivalent for someone who is married, in a civil partnership or cohabiting is €665 of combined gross weekly income. In comparison, the income disregard applied to disability allowance is €140 per week. It is €20 per day for jobseeker's allowance up to a maximum of €60 and the balance is assessed at 60%. The weekly income disregard for jobseeker's transitional payment with 50% of the balance assessed as means.

Changes to schemes are considered in an overall expenditure and policy context and from an evidence-based perspective. Increases to the disregard would result in the provision of additional payments to people who may have significant sources of income while reducing the scope to provide income supports to lower income households. Those existing carers whose sole income is the carer's allowance would not benefit in this circumstance. Any further improvements or additions to the current income supports, including the earnings threshold for carer's allowance, can only be considered in a budgetary context, taking into account other pressures in the Department of Social Protection and other Departments and the available financial resources.