Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Independent)
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527. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding carers. [34712/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The contribution that people provide in caring for members of their own family is critical for society. It was for that reason that the Government last year adopted the National Carers Strategy with a view to giving greater public recognition to carers and their work. Carers receive significant income supports from the Department of Social Protection so that people can continue living at home as long as possible – in fact the supports available to carers in Ireland are among the highest rates of income support in Europe. Expenditure on carers has increased significantly in recent years. In 2013 it is estimated to be €776 million compared with an estimated outturn of €771 million in 2012. The expenditure on carers in 2012 included: €509 million on carer's allowance; €24 million on carer's benefit; €135 million on the respite care grant and; €103 million on domiciliary care allowance. Carers also receive a free travel pass at an annual cost of €6 million and carers who reside with the care recipient are eligible for the household benefits package at an annual cost of approximately €30 million.

The respite care grant is available to all full-time carers regardless of their means while the income disregard and means test for carers allowance is the most generous in the social welfare system. Carers are entitled to an extra half-rate carer's allowance if they care for more than one person and a respite care grant for each care recipient. A person in receipt of certain qualifying payments and also providing full-time care and attention to another person may qualify for a half-rate carer's allowance while retaining their main social welfare payment.

Regrettably, I am not in a position to reverse last year's cut in the respite care grant. However, I should point out that both the Carers' Association and Care Alliance Ireland have made submissions to my Department in the context of Budget 2014, and representatives from both organisations attended the pre-Budget Forum which I hosted on July 5 last. The key points made by both organisations will be considered in the context of framing Budget 2014.