Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
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72. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to address the respite needs of carers, despite the fact that the respite care grant was renamed as the carer's support grant in recent budget changes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40143/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Government recognises the significant contribution that carers make to society andprovide a range of income supports to assist with the financial burden of caring. These supports include carer'sallowance, carer's benefit, domiciliary care allowance and respite care grant which are administered by my Department.Expenditure on carers has increased significantly in recent years and it is estimated that the overall expenditure for 2015 will be €822 million.

The provision of respite services for the recipients of care is a matter for the Health Service Executive. However, my Department has, since 1999, paid an annual respite care grant, as an additional financial support, to carers. The intent of the grant is to support carers in their caring role and carers may use the grant in a manner that is appropriate to their needs. The annual respite care payment is a single lump sum with no requirement to satisfy a means test.There is no equivalent payment for carers in any other country in Europe. This year it is estimated that in excess of €123 m will be spent on approximately 90,000 grants.

I am pleased that I was in a position in Budget 2016 to increase the amount of the grant by €325 to €1,700, at an estimated cost of €30 million. The name of the grant has also been changed to the carer's support grant in recognition of its changing role. Furthermore, in the recent Budget, I doubled the period for which the carer can retain payment following the death of the care recipient from 6 weeks to 12 weeks in recognition of the adjustment needed following the death of the person for whom they were caring.

I am also pleased to say that funding of up to €1 million for training and supports for carers, is currently being finalised and I will shortly be in a position to announce the projects that will receive funding under the measure.