Written answers
Tuesday, 6 May 2014
Department of Social Protection
Social Welfare Benefits Expenditure
Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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216. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will increase the allocation to the pre-2008 levels in respect of carers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19985/14]
Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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242. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the amount spent on the carer's allowance scheme in 2011, 2012 and 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20136/14]
Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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243. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the amount spent on the carer's benefit scheme in 2011, 2012 and 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20138/14]
Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 216, 242 and 243 together.
The information sought by the Deputies is contained in the following table which shows expenditure for carer’s allowance, carer’s benefit, domiciliary care allowance and respite care grant for each year since 2007. Since 2007, expenditure on carers payments by the Department has increased by almost €376 million to close to an estimated €806 million in 2014 or an increase of 63%. Responsibility for domiciliary care allowance transferred to the Department from the Health Service Executive during 2009.
| Expenditure | 2007 Outturn | 2008 Outturn | 2009 Outturn | 2010 Outturn | 2011 Outturn | 2012 Outturn | 2013 Provisional Outturn | 2014 REV Allocation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| €'000 | €'000 | €'000 | €'000 | €'000 | €'000 | €'000 | €'000 | |
| Carer's Allowance | 361,257 | 450,260 | 502,469 | 501,789 | 507,193 | 509,671 | 554,801 | 557,200 |
| Domiciliary Care Allowance** | - | - | 31,017 | 95,710 | 99,924 | 102,237 | 104,272 | 105,100 |
| Respite Care Grant | 72,471 | 98,204 | 99,200 | 128,097 | 130,392 | 136,353 | 119,943 | 122,000 |
| Carer's Benefit | 26,900 | 33,666 | 30,204 | 26,288 | 24,474 | 24,498 | 22,443 | 21,500 |
| Total | 460,628 | 582,130 | 662,890 | 751,884 | 761,983 | 772,759 | 801,459 | 805,800 |
| Y-on-Y change | - | 121,502 | 80,760 | 88,994 | 10,099 | 10,776 | 28,700 | 4,341 |
It should be also be noted that over 25,000 recipients of carer’s allowance at the end of March last were in receipt of the half-rate carer’s allowance payment as they were also concurrently in receipt of another welfare payment. While expenditure on the half-rate payment is contained in the table above, expenditure on the other welfare payments which the relevant carers are in receipt of is not included. The allocation for payments to carers in 2015 will be considered in the context of the next Budget.
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