John Brassil (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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329. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the guidelines for allocation of the respite care grant; the allowable working hours for a person in receipt of the grant; his views on whether a couple in which a parent is only working 15 hours per week and is available at all other times to provide full-time care to their child that has an intellectual disability and in addition presents with complex and chronic behavioural issues is not deserving of the respite care grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3985/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The carer’s support grant (CSG) is an annual, non means tested payment, made by my Department to full-time carers. It is paid automatically to carers who are already in receipt of carer’s allowance, carer’s benefit and domiciliary care allowance. Payment is made on the 1st Thursday in June. Other people who are not in receipt of a social welfare payment but who are providing full time care and attention are also eligible and can apply for the grant to my Department.

The primary conditions to be satisfied are that the carer; be aged 16 or over; be ordinarily resident in the State and provide full-time care for the person for at least six months (this period of care must include the first Thursday in June).

In addition, the carer must live with the recipient of care or if not resident must be contactable quickly by a direct system of communication (for example, a telephone or alarm) between their home and the home of the person to whom they are providing care.

Carers may engage in employment and/or education and training for a maximum aggregate of 15 hours per week and still be regarded as providing full-time care and attention. This strikes a reasonable balance between giving carers the opportunity to engage with wider society and to maintain, where possible, a connection with the world of work and education, and meeting the requirement that carers are required to be providing full-time care and attention to a recipient of care.

I hope this addresses the issues raised by the Deputy.