Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 39: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs her plans to amend the benefit and privilege rule for under 25 year olds. [16981/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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There are no plans to amend the benefit and privilege rules for under 25 year olds at this time. Any further improvements to the means testing arrangements for social welfare schemes generally, including the benefit and privilege assessment arrangements for the jobseeker's allowance and supplementary welfare allowance schemes, would have to be considered in a budgetary context and having regard to available resources.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 40: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 103 of 11 November 2008, the involvement she has in the development of the study on inappropriate care roles of young carers being carried out by NUI Galway; if her attention has been drawn to a completion date for the study; if she will reconsider her decision not to publish the National Carer's Strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16968/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Social Partnership Agreement "Towards 2016" included a commitment to study the extent and degree to which children undertake inappropriate care roles and the impact this has on their lives. The Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (OMCYA) has the lead role in relation to this study. Officials from my Department participated with the OMCYA and the Department of Health and Children in developing the structure of the study and in the tendering process. The study commenced in October 2008 and it is expected that it will be completed by the end of this year. The Department received a copy of the interim report on the study, Research on Young Carers in the Irish Population, in February 2009 for information. There are no plans to reconsider the decision not to publish a National Carer's Strategy at this time.

During 2008 an interdepartmental group, chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach, with secretariat support provided by my Department, undertook work, including a public consultation process to develop a National Carers' Strategy. However, because of the prevailing economic situation, it was not possible to set targets or time lines which could be achieved. In that context, rather than publishing a document which did not include any significant plans for the future, the Government decided not to publish a strategy. This position remains unchanged.

The Government is acutely aware of the sacrifices made by carers and has sought to make many improvements in services and supports for carers. Over the past decade, weekly payment rates to carers have greatly increased, qualifying conditions for carer's allowance have significantly eased, coverage of the scheme has been extended and new schemes such as carer's benefit, half-rate carer's allowance and the respite care grant have been introduced and extended.

The means test for carer's allowance has been significantly eased over the years, and is now one of the most generous means tests in the social welfare system, most notably with regard to spouse's earnings. Since April 2008, the income disregard has been €332.50 per week for a single person and €665 per week for a couple. This means that a couple with two children can earn in the region of €37,200 and qualify for the maximum rate of carer's allowance as well as the associated free travel and household benefits. A couple with an income in the region of €60,400 can still qualify for a minimum payment, as well as the associated free travel, household benefits package. These levels surpass the Towards 2016 commitment to ensure that those on average industrial earnings continue to qualify for a full carer's allowance.

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. The rate of the respite care grant has also been increased to €1,700 per year in respect of each care recipient since June 2008. In June 2006, the number of hours for which a person can engage in employment, self-employment, education or training and still be considered to be providing full time care for the purposes of carer's allowance, carer's benefit and the respite care grant was increased from ten to 15 hours per week.

In budget 2009, I increased the rate of carer's allowance for those aged 66 or over by €7 to €239 per week and for those aged under 66 by €6.50 to €220.50 per week. These increases took effect from January 2009. Recipients of carer's allowance are also eligible for household benefits and free travel and the respite care grant. It is estimated that the combined expenditure on carer's allowance, carer's benefit, the respite care grant and half-rate carer's allowance will be €650 million in 2009. The Department of Social and Family Affairs is committed to continuing to work with the carer representative groups to deliver services in the most effective way and to support the carer groups in the valuable work they do in helping carers.