Written answers

Wednesday, 17 September 2014

Department of Education and Skills

Carer's Benefit Applications

Photo of Seán FlemingSeán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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1382. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the procedures in her Department for granting carer's leave to persons who require same; if persons are entitled to the full 104 weeks care leave; if she will provide a copy of the most recent circular issued on this matter; if this circular is up to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34012/14]

Photo of Jan O'SullivanJan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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Carer's leave allows employees to take temporary unpaid leave to enable them personally to provide full time care and attention for a person who is in need of such care.

The suggested timeline for applying for leave is 6 weeks in advance of the start date of the leave. Since the transfer of certain Human Resource (HR) and Pensions functions from this Department to PeoplePoint (HR and Pensions Shared Service Centre) in February of this year, staff of this Department seeking carer's leave must apply electronically through the PeoplePoint portal. This application is then routed to the Human Resources (HR) Unit in this Department. The applicant for carer's leave must confirm when making the application that they have applied to the Department of Social Protection for a decision by a Deciding Officer under the Carer's Act 2001 that the person in respect for whom the leave is being sought requires this care. This decision is based on information provided by the relevant person's general medical practitioner. In addition, in order to be deemed eligible, the staff member must have completed at least 12 months continuous service in the civil service.

Once a decision to grant the carer's leave has been made by the Department of Social Protection, a confirmation document is then signed by the staff member and by the HR Manager in this Department confirming the date on which the leave period will commence and the duration of the leave. The carer's leave can be taken in one continuous period of 104 weeks or for a number of periods not exceeding a total of 104 weeks. Where the leave is not taken as one continuous period the minimum statutory entitlement that may be taken in one period is 13 weeks. There must be a gap of 6 weeks between the periods of carer's leave. The carer's leave can be terminated before the expiry of 104 weeks in a number of circumstances e.g. where the person being cared for ceases to require full-time care and attention, which are set out in Paragraph 20 of the Department of Finance Circular 39/2005 – Carer's leave, the most up to date circular issued on this matter, at the following link:

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