Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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759. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will address a matter (details supplied) regarding pensions for carers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37639/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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My department provides a range of income supports for carers including carer’s benefit, carer’s allowance, domiciliary care allowance and the carer’s support grant. Carers are entitled to an extra half-rate carer’s allowance if they care for more than one person and a respite care grant for each care recipient.

Credited contributions, normally known as credits, are awarded to recipients of carer’s benefit and of carer’s allowance where they have an underlying entitlement to credits. Recipients of these payments qualify for credits where they have at least one paid contribution in the previous two years or have had credited contributions in that period. Credits are also awarded to workers who take unpaid carer’s leave from work.

Credits protect social insurance entitlements by bridging gaps in an employee’s social insurance record, where they are not in a position to pay PRSI, such as during periods spent caring. In combination with paid PRSI contributions, credits assist employees in qualifying for short-term schemes and enhance the level of benefit for long-term schemes.

In addition, all carers, including those who do not qualify for a payment or for credits, may qualify for the homemaker scheme. The homemaker’s scheme is designed to help homemakers and carers qualify for state pension (contributory). Years spent caring on a full-time basis are disregarded when calculating the state pension (contributory) rate of payment.

Through the award of credits and the homemaker’s scheme, the social insurance system already gives significant recognition of the service provided by carers. Awarding paid contributions would be contrary to the principle that entitlement to social insurance benefits, as a right, is directly linked to the actual payment of PRSI contributions on income and to do so would have cost implications which would need to be considered in a budgetary context.

I can assure the Deputy that I am very aware of the key role carers play in society and I will continue to keep the range of supports available to carers under review. However, any improvements or additions to these supports can only be considered in a budgetary context and in the light of available financial resources.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.