Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 282: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if there is any provision or discretion allowed for persons claiming carer's allowance who are from the State but who have moved to Northern Ireland and wish to continue to care for their elderly parents or family relations. [33400/11]

Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 283: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if there is any provision's or discretion for a person to claim carer's allowance if they now live in close proximity to the Border in the North of Ireland but are originally from the South and wish to care for their relatives who live in close proximity south of the Border, based on the premise that they satisfy all other eligibility and are not claiming any other entitlements North or South. [33401/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 282 and 283 together.

Carer's Allowance is a means-tested payment that may be paid to people living within the jurisdiction who are providing full time care and attention to a person in need of such care. There are a number of conditions that carers must satisfy before they can claim this payment.

Section 180(2) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act specifies that "A carer shall not be entitled to an allowance under this section unless he or she is habitually resident in the State at the date of the making of the application for the allowance."

Under EU rules, which prohibit discrimination on nationality grounds in relation to social security, it is not possible to exempt Irish citizens on the basis of residency within Northern Ireland without extending the same treatment to all EU nationals within the EU.