Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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Question 144: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the situation which exists whereby persons in receipt of carer's allowance who are allowed to work 15 hours per week, and work as paid carers for those 15 hours are required to obtain the FETAC level 5 qualification, but the training for this, which is provided by VETAC and is unpaid, counts as 5 of the 15 hours which you are allowed to work.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17713/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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A range of training courses are provided for those who wish to work as paid carers with awards granted by FETAC. The Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC) was set up as a statutory body on 11 June 2001 by the Minister for Education and Science.

Carer's allowance is a means tested income support payment for people who are providing full time care and attention to a person in need of such care. A person in receipt of carer's allowance can engage in employment, self-employment, training or education outside the home for up to 15 hours per week and still qualify for the payment.

A qualifying condition for the payment of carer's allowance is that the person receiving care is medically assessed as needing care on a full-time basis. It should be understood that the 15 hours rule covers not just paid work, but training or education activities outside the home, paid or unpaid and which could therefore interfere with the ability of the carer to provide full time care and attention for the person being cared for.

While it is considered reasonable that carers may work or engage in training or education for up to fifteen hours per week and still be able to provide full time care and attention for someone, I have no plans for a further increase in the hours beyond this allowance. Any further expansion would necessarily dilute the very notion of 'full time care and attention' and could directly impact on the person who needs that care.