Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

140. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if a recipient under the family income supplement scheme who is off work due to illness can qualify under the carer's allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11113/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Carer's Allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment, made to persons who are providing full-time care and attention to a person who has a disability such that they require that level of care.

A person can be considered to be providing full-time care and attention where they are engaged in employment, self-employment or on training courses outside the home for a maximum of 15 hours per week, provided that they can show to the satisfaction of a deciding officer that adequate care has been provided for the care recipient in their absence.

It is a condition for receipt of Family Income Supplement (FIS) that the applicant must be engaged in full-time paid employment as an employee for not less than 38 hours per fortnight.

A person off work due to illness may qualify for CA as long as they are able to provide full-time care and attention.

However, if they return to work having proven that adequate care is provided for the care recipient, entitlement to CA would cease if they were employed for more than 15 hours per week outside the home. FIS would cease if they were working less than 38 hours per fortnight.