Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 167: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of carers under the age of 18; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20785/07]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 175: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his plans to assist carers under the age of the age of 18; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20784/07]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 616: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 4 of 11 May 2006, if the senior officials group on long term care have examined the issues faced by young carers; the action that has been taken or is planned to be taken as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21122/07]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 617: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 4 of 11 May 2006, if his Department has begun research or has commissioned research to be undertaken on the issue of young carers; if not, when his Department will undertake such research; if so, the areas which will be examined; when he expects this research to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21124/07]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 618: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs further to Parliamentary Question Nos 19, 46 and 68 of 9 February 2006, if his Department has completed its consideration of Barnardos' research on young carers; if not, when he expects it to be completed; if so, the details of the findings of same; the action he will to take as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21125/07]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 619: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs further to Parliamentary Question Nos 19, 46 and 68 of 9 February 2006, if he has examined the possibility of extending the carers allowance to young carers aged 16 and 17; the details of decisions taken as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21126/07]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 620: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the action she is taking to improve the situation of young carers by means of providing supports, services and assistance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21129/07]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 167, 175, 616 to 620, inclusive, together.

According to Census 2002 almost 3,000 people between the ages of 15 and 17 are providing unpaid care in the home of which over 2,600 or 89% are still in formal education. Over 300 people aged in that age group provide over 4 hours of care per day with over 200 young people provide a minimum of 43 hours of care per week.

My Department provides income support to carers by way of carer's allowance, carer's benefit and the respite care grant. The respite care grant, which is an annual payment for carers who look after certain people in need of full-time care and attention, is payable from age 16. The payment is made regardless of the carer's means or social insurance contributions but it is subject to certain qualifying conditions. From June 2007 the value of the grant was increased from €1,200 to €1,500 per year in respect of each care recipient. Carer's allowance, which provides income support to people who are providing certain older people or people with a disability with full time care and attention and whose incomes fall below a certain limit, is payable from age 18.

My officials have examined the report "Caring Before Their Time? Research and Policy Perspectives on Young Carers" which was published by Barnardos and the Children's Research Centre. I accept that special help, advice and support is essential for young carers in particular and that services must be put in place to support the household and to ensure that young carers remain at school. These include the services of home helps, public health nurses and home care packages generally, which are a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children. Recent Budgets have provided for a significant increase in the funding of these services. Indeed, one of the recommendations of that report was that policy relating to young carers should be a matter for the Department of Health and Children with services being delivered by the Health Service Executive.

As you are aware the Working Group on Long Term Care was established by the Minister for Health and Children and my predecessor Minister Brennan in January 2005 to identify the policy options for a financially sustainable system of long-term care. It comprises senior officials from the Departments of Finance, Health and Children and my own Department. My officials have brought the issue of young carers to the attention of the Working Group. The report of that Working Group is being considered by Government.

The national partnership agreement "Towards 2016" includes a commitment to a study of the extent to which children undertake inappropriate care roles in order to establish the extent and degree to which this issue arises and the levels of impact it has on the lives of children concerned. This commitment to further research is in line with the recommendations of the Barnardos report. Based on the outcome of this study and an analysis of the issues identified, a programme of in-home supports will be developed to alleviate specific problem areas identified for children. It is intended that all relevant Departments will be involved in this study. My Department which does not have the lead role with regard to this research will engage with it as appropriate.

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. However, I consider that it is through the provision of health and education services rather than income that we can best support young carers.