Written answers

Tuesday, 4 November 2014

Department of Social Protection

Respite Care Grant Payments

Photo of Ruth CoppingerRuth Coppinger (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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108. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her plans to reverse the cuts to the respite care grant in the upcoming Finance Bill. [41685/14]

Photo of Joan BurtonJoan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Respite Care Grant (RCG) forms part of a range of illness, disability and carer supports provided by the Department to people with disabilities and those who care for them. The RCG is paid automatically to people in receipt of Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance or Prescribed Relative’s Allowance. Other people who are not in receipt of a social welfare payment but who are providing full time care and attention are also eligible and can apply for the grant to a standalone RCG section. The Grant is paid annually on the first Thursday in June.

Such an annual payment, in a single lump sum with no requirement to satisfy a means test, is not available for any other group nor is there an equivalent payment for carers in any other country in Europe.

The current rate of the respite care grant of €1,375 is still more than twice what it was in 2002 when it was €635, and higher than it was in 2006 at the height of the economic boom, when it was €1,200. I regret I am not in a position to increase the rate of the respite care grant at this time.

The primary emphasis over the past 3 years and in this Budget has been the protection and maintenance of the core rates of payment and to this end it should be noted that expenditure on carers has increased significantly in recent years. The estimated expenditure on carers in 2014 is around €806 million: €557 million on Carer’s Allowance, €21.5 million on Carer’s Benefit, €122 million on the Respite Care Grant and €105 on Domiciliary Care Allowance.

I would also point out that a number of welfare initiatives which will benefit carers and people with disabilities who are in receipt of a welfare payment were announced on Budget day including an increase in the living alone allowance bringing the weekly rate to €9 for pensioners and people with disabilities and a water support payment of €100 to recipients of the Household Benefit Package, to help older people and other vulnerable groups meet the cost of water services. The Christmas Bonus has also been restored to the extent that a bonus of 25% will be paid in early December to all long-term welfare recipients including pensioners and carers.

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