Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 449: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the amount which has been expended on the rent supplement scheme in each of the past 10 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38504/06]

Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 456: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the money expended on rent allowance to enable qualifying persons rent private accommodation in each of the past 10 years and to date in 2006. [39015/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 449 and 456 together.

The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which includes rent supplement, is administered on my behalf by the Community Welfare division of the Health Service Executive. The purpose of the scheme is to provide short-term income support, in the form of a weekly or monthly payment, to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. The expenditure on rent supplement from 1996 to date is shown in the tabular statement as follows.

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 450: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kildare has received information that the rent subsidy they receive is to be reduced to the point that they will not be able to afford it as they will be on maternity leave and as such will have no residential accommodation for themselves and their two children; the options available to the person to overcome the problems as stated; the way the person on maternity leave can pay this amount from their income of €185.50 and €97 maternity leave payment per week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38514/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which includes rent supplement, is administered on my behalf by the Community Welfare division of the Health Service Executive.

Under the rules of the scheme, rent supplements are calculated to ensure that an eligible person after the payment of rent has an income equal to the rate of supplementary welfare allowance appropriate to his or her family circumstances, less a minimum contribution of €13 which each recipient is required to pay from his or her own resources. The regulations governing rent supplement stipulate that in addition to the minimum contribution, recipients are also required to contribute towards their rent any additional assessable means that they have over and above the appropriate basic supplementary welfare allowance rate.

The Health Service Executive has advised that person concerned is in receipt of her correct entitlement to rent supplement based on her income from one parent family payment, maternity benefit and maintenance payments. The Executive has further advised that if the person is not satisfied with the decision of the Executive it is open to that person to appeal the decision to the Executive's designated Appeals Officer.

Ned O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 451: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his views on paying the old age pension or a large portion of this pension in conjunction with the carers allowance to carers, many of whom are caring for their spouse or relative on a 24 hour per day, seven days a week basis. [38527/06]

Seán Ardagh (Dublin South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 452: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he is the Minister with responsibility for carers; and the action he is taking to increase the rate of pay for carers to bring it in line with the minimum wage. [38656/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 451 and 452 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.

The carer's allowance is a social assistance payment which provides income support to people who are providing certain elderly or incapacitated persons with full-time care and attention and whose incomes fall below a certain limit. The primary objective of the social welfare system is to provide income support and, as a general rule, only one weekly social welfare payment is payable to an individual. This ensures that resources are not used to make two income support payments to any one person. Persons qualifying for two social welfare payments always receive the higher payment to which they are entitled.

In Budget 2006, I announced the biggest ever increases in the weekly rates of payments to carers representing increases of over 17% for recipients of carer's allowance. From January this year, the rate of carer's allowance increased to €200 per week for carers aged 66 years and over. This rate of payment may be higher in many instances than the rate of state pension or qualified adult allowance payable to a person. Such a person who is providing full-time care and attention to a person who requires such care may be entitled to receive this higher rate of carer's allowance. I would strongly urge any person in this position to make enquiries with my Department.

In addition, 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 jobseeker's assistance and benefit, are entitled to this payment subject to meeting the full-time care condition. This arrangement was introduced to acknowledge the needs of carers especially in relation to respite. I also increased the level of the respite care grant from €1,000 to €1,200 per year from June 2006.

While I and my Department have responsibility for income support payments to carers, several other departments, particularly the Department of Health and Children and the Health Services Executive, are responsible for the provision of services to support carers. Co-operation between relevant Government departments and agencies is essential if the provision of services, supports and entitlements for carers is to be fully addressed. For that reason, I am pleased that the new national partnership agreement "Towards 2016" commits my Department to leading the development of a structured consultation process to inform future policy in relation to carers. This will involve an annual meeting of carer's representative groups and relevant department and agencies. The first such meeting is being held today, 21 November 2006.

Another key Government commitment in "Towards 2016" is the development of a National Carer's Strategy. This strategy, which will focus on supporting informal and family carers in the community, will be developed by the end of 2007. All relevant departments and agencies will be involved in the strategy and there will be appropriate consultation with the social partners.

Proposals involving additional expenditure can only be considered in a budgetary context. I am committed to working for, and with, carers to deliver increased benefits, supports, and services for them and their families. In that regard, I will continue to review the scope for further development of the supports available.