Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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292. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the current rates for half rate home carers; and his views on whether the current rate does not reflect the amount of time and effort many carers put in to caring for a person, that this payment should reflect that and that without these carers the State would have substantial obligations and costs. [2687/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I would like to acknowledge the key role that carers have in our society. The importance of their contribution is reflected in the range of significant supports provided by my Department to support carers in their caring role and ameliorate the financial burden of caring – indeed it is worth pointing out that the income supports that carers receive from my Department are among the highest rates in Europe.

The income supports for carers from my Department include carer’s benefit (CB), carers allowance (CA) including half-rate carer’s allowance, carer’s support grant (CSG), domiciliary care allowance (DCA), the household benefits package (HBP) to carers residing with the recipient of care), and the free travel scheme.

The CA is a means tested payment for people who are providing care and attention to a person who needs it. Half-rate CA is paid in addition to certain primary social welfare payments where the carer meets the criteria for both schemes. Furthermore half-rate CA is also paid in addition to a qualified adult rate increase where the carer’s spouse, civil partner, or co-habiting partner is entitled to a payment for them on his/her claim.

Carers’ providing care to more than one person are entitled to an additional payment. I must point out that the income disregard and means test for carers is the most generous within the social welfare system and, at the full payment rate, the amount of weekly earnings disregarded is €332.50 for a single person and €665 for a people who are married, in a civil partnership or cohabiting.

I have no plans to review the current arrangements around half-rate carer allowance payment. The CA payment, like all of my Department’s schemes, is kept under review as part of the budgetary process.

I hope this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.