Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 143: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of people in receipt of the carer's allowance, carer's benefit and the respite care grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20774/07]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Support of carers has been a priority of Government since 1997. Payments to carers have been greatly improved over that period and qualifying conditions for carers allowance have been significantly eased, coverage of the scheme has been extended, and new schemes such as carers benefit and the respite care payment have been introduced. The further development of support for carers continues to be a priority.

There are now 30,652 persons in receipt of Carer's Allowance. The number of persons in receipt of carer's allowance has increased by 9,326 since December 2003. 1,904 persons are currently in receipt of Carer's Benefit. To date 7,227 persons have been awarded the Respite Care Grant for 2007.

Following from enhancements in Budget 2007, from tomorrow people receiving a social welfare payment and providing care to a person needing full –time assistance may apply for a reduced rate Carers Allowance.

Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 144: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his plans to increase the rate of the living alone allowance. [20692/07]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The living alone increase is an additional payment of €7.70 per week made to people aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments and who are living alone. It is also available to people who are under 66 years of age who are living alone and who receive payments under one of a number of invalidity type schemes. The increase is intended as a contribution towards the additional costs people face when they live alone.

The policy in relation to support for pensioners has been, for many years, to give priority to increasing the personal rates of pension rather than supplements like the living alone increase. The objective is to use resources to improve the position of all pensioners to the fullest extent possible rather than focusing on particular groups. This approach was continued in Budget 2007 with increases of up to €16 and €18 per week granted on personal rates. The policy is subject to review and I will consider the position in the context of the next budget.