Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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125. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will allow recipients of the respite care grant, which will be re-introduced from January 2016, to receive two separate payments, in June and December, rather than one payment in June in order to facilitate carers at Christmas time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40206/15]

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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145. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will improve the support service to all full-time carers, as a matter of priority; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40317/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 125 and 145 together.

The Department provides a range of income supports to carers including carer’s benefit, carer’s allowance, domiciliary care allowance and the annual carer’s support grant (formerly the respite care grant). The total expenditure on carers in 2015 is estimated at €822 million.

Carers receive significant income supports from the Department - among the highest rates of income support in Europe. The weekly payment rate for a person aged under 66, caring for 1 person is €204, while the rate for a person aged over 66 is €239. An increase of 50% is paid where a carer is caring for more than one person (€306 and €358.50 for carers under and over 66 respectively).

The income disregard and means test for carers is the most generous within the social welfare system and the amount of weekly earnings disregarded is €332.50 for a single person and €665 for a couple. A couple under 66 with two children, earning a joint annual income of up to €35,400 can qualify for maximum payment carer’s allowance while such a couple earning €59,300 will still qualify for the minimum rate.

If a person is getting certain qualifying social welfare payments and also providing full time care and attention to another person, they can keep their main social welfare payment and get the half-rate carer's allowance as well. They can also receive an extra half-rate carer’s allowance if they care for more than one person.

Carers receive additional support in the form of free travel and household benefits (for those who live with the person for whom they care) and the annual carer’s support grant in respect of each person for whom they care - there is no means test attaching to payment of the carer’s support grant and there is no equivalent payment anywhere else in Europe.

I am satisfied that Department provides a comprehensive range of income supports for carers as outlined above and I have no plans to make any changes in this regard – indeed in the recent Budget, I introduced further improvements in the income supports available to carers - by doubling the period in respect of which a carer can continue to receive weekly payments after the death of the person being cared for, to 12 weeks, and also by increasing the carer’s support grant by €325 to €1,700.

In relation to splitting the latter into two payments, there is a compelling argument that to do so would dilute the impact of the payment and I have no plans to change the current arrangements.