Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senators for their comments. I will speak to amendments Nos. 13 and 14 together. I do not propose to accept them. The Pensions Commission concluded its detailed analysis of the State pension system in late 2020 and recommended that long-term carers, which it defined as caring for more than 20 years, should be given access to the State pension contributory by having retrospective contributions paid for them by the Exchequer for any gaps in their contribution history arising from caring. The measures contained in this Bill are to implement this recommendation. In formulating its recommendations, the commission sought the views of recognised experts and representative groups by inviting presentations and submissions. In this regard, Family Carers Ireland and the National Women’s Council of Ireland made presentations to the commission on this particular issue of improving access to State pensions for long-term carers. As I said earlier, Family Carers Ireland strongly support the measures I am taking.

Regarding amendment No. 14, in reaching its conclusions, the Pensions Commission recommended that the contributions would be exclusively for State pension contributory purposes. Full-time carers can currently access a number of supports from my Department including carer’s benefit, based on social insurance record, or carer’s allowance, based on means. Both payments accrue credited contributions which can confer entitlement to certain other social welfare schemes. In addition, other non-means-tested payments available to full-time family carers include the annual carer’s support grant and the monthly domiciliary care allowance where relevant. Access to other social insurance payments is subject to the conditions attached to these payments and where a carer meets these conditions, they will qualify.Where a carer meets those conditions, he or she will qualify.

I do not believe that further reports on carers and State pension provision is warranted at this time. A person who has provided less than 20 years' caring may be entitled to avail of home caring periods or the homemaker's scheme, subject to the existing qualification condition of having 520 paid contributions. This is to look after those who have provided over 20 years' caring. We do cater for those who have provided under 20 years' caring. Once people have worked for ten years, they can get credits for the time they spent at home, up to 20 years.

Carers can also work 18.5 hours per week and receive the full carer's allowance. Last year, I changed the means test and from June next year, I will change it again. I have increased the amount one can have in savings to €50,000 and have increased the income limits for both a single person and a couple. That is two years in a row I have increased those limits. The capital disregard is €50,000. The domiciliary care allowance, which is not means-tested, was increased by a further €10 per month in this budget.

I think I have covered all the issues that have been raised with me. I fully recognise the important role carers play in our society. The purpose of social protection is to provide people with a basic income. I cannot pay people for what they do. They do a lot of work. I have asked that we set up an interdepartmental group to look at the whole issue of carers because the Department of Health has a role to play here as well and there are other, non-financial supports with which we can improve the situation. I met with Family Carers Ireland and it is very happy with this. I am the first Minister in 20 years to have done anything about carers, and they are very pleased. Of course, there is more work to be done, but we have achieved quite a lot now to get this here and to make sure they get a pension because God knows they deserve it. What is better about this is that if you have been unsuccessful in the past in applying for a pension, you can now, after 1 January, once you can show that you have been caring, apply for the pension. If, say, you are past the pension age and did not qualify, you can reapply now once you can show that you were providing such care. I think in particular of a mother caring for a child with a long-term disability. The child passes on, the mother cannot go back to work at that stage because she is at retirement age, and she is left with no income because of her partner's income. I was very conscious of that, and this will make a difference to people in such positions, I believe.