Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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36. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will allow carers (details supplied) who undertake educational courses while the person they care for is engaged in other services, such as school, maintain their carer's allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2369/16]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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It is a condition for receipt of carer’s benefit and carer’s allowance that the carer must be providing full-time care and attention to a person who requires such full-time care and attention consequent on a specified illness or disability. However, this condition is moderated by allowing the carer to work or engage in training outside the home for an aggregate total of up to 15 hours per week.

I am satisfied that the easing of the full-time care requirement achieves a reasonable balance between meeting the requirement for providing full-time care for the care recipient and the needs of the carer to be able to engage in employment or education outside the home – while also helping to address the issue of social alienation experienced by many carers.