Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 113: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when he expects to be in a position to extend the carer's allowance to cover the full extent of those providing care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31779/06]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 429: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the extent to which he will extend the carers allowance to include the greater number of carers to date not in receipt of a payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32130/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 113 and 429 together.

Supporting and recognising carers in our society is and has been a priority of the Government since 1997. Over that period, weekly payment rates to carers have been greatly increased, qualifying conditions for carer's allowance have been significantly eased, coverage of the scheme has been extended and new schemes such as carer's benefit and the respite care grant have been introduced and extended.

According to Census 2002, there are 148,754 people providing care to someone for at least 1 hour per week. Of these, 48,500 people are providing personal care for more than 29 hours per week or just over 4 hours per day. More than 14,300 of this group are employed for more than 15 hours per week and so would not satisfy the full time care and attention requirement for carer's allowance, carer's benefit or respite care grant. Just over 28,000 people are currently in receipt of either carer's allowance or carer's benefit from my Department.

From June 2005, the annual respite care grant was extended to all carers who are providing full time care to a person who needs such care regardless of their income. Those persons in receipt of other social welfare payments, excluding job seekers assistance and benefit, are entitled to their payment subject to meeting the full time care and attention requirement. This arrangement was introduced to acknowledge the needs of carers especially in relation to respite. The grant is also now being paid in respect of each person receiving care.

In Budget 2006, I provided for an increase in the amount of the respite care grant from €1,000 to €1,200, from June 2006. Approximately, 7,000 people who are not in receipt of carer's allowance or carer's benefit have received a respite care grant in respect of 2005. Applications for the 2005 grant continue to be received.

In line with other social assistance schemes, a means test is applied to the carer's allowance so as to ensure that limited resources are directed to those in greatest need. This means test has been eased significantly over the years. Following Budget 2006, since April, the earnings disregard for a couple has been set at €580 per week which is just at the level of gross average industrial earnings. This means that a couple with two children can earn up to €32,925 per annum and still receive the maximum rate of carer's allowance as well as free travel, the household benefits package and the respite care grant. In accordance with the new social partnership agreement, "Towards 2016", I am committed to expanding, subject to available resources, the income limits for carer's allowance and aiming to keep the level of the disregard in line with average industrial earnings. In Budget 2006, I announced the biggest ever increases in the rates of payment to carers, specifically:

the rate of carer's allowance increased by €26.40 to €180 per week for carers under age 66;

the rate for carers over age 66 increased by €30.20 to €200 per week, making it the largest single welfare support payment; and

the rate of carer's benefit increased by €17.00 to €180.70 per week,

These represent increases of over 17% for recipients of carer's allowance and serve to acknowledge and support the invaluable work of our family carers. I have also made other improvements to the supports available to carers from my Department. From June this year, I increased the number of hours that a carer may work and still receive a carer's allowance, from 10 to 15 hours per week. I also extended the duration of the carer's benefit scheme from 15 months to 2 years. The duration of the associated carer's leave scheme has also been extended to 2 years.

Recommendations involving additional expenditure can only be considered in a budgetary context. However, I am always prepared to consider changes to existing arrangements where these are for the benefit of recipients and financially sustainable within the resources available to me. I will continue to bring forward proposals that recognise the valued and valuable contribution of carers in a tangible way.