Written answers

Tuesday, 31 March 2015

Department of Social Protection

Carer's Allowance Eligibility

Photo of Ciara ConwayCiara Conway (Waterford, Labour)
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228. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will introduce a scheme of educational supports and training to assist full-time carers of children with disabilities and other special needs, whose children are now of an age that they no longer require full-time care, and who never claimed a carer's allowance but now have no entitlement to a social welfare payment. [13164/15]

Photo of Joan BurtonJoan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Department of Social Protection provides a range of income supports for carers including, Carer’s Benefit, Carer’s Allowance, Domiciliary Carer’s Allowance and the Respite Care Grant.

When a person’s caring role comes to an end, the Department provides a further range of income supports depending on the person’s circumstances. Information on the type of social welfare income support most appropriate to the former carer’s circumstances is available at the local INTREO office which provides information on all the Department’s schemes and services and information on access to employment supports. As part of the INTREO service, Employment Support Officers also offer advice and personal progression plans to those on the live register including former carers.

Where such progression plans involve training and education, such supports would be provided by SOLAS – the new Further Education and Training Authority in Ireland, which is responsible for funding, planning and co-ordinating training and further education programmes.

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