Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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463. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will improve the State pension (contributory) for foster carers by extending the number of homecaring periods that a foster carer can accrue throughout the years they foster; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24356/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Matters related to foster caring are the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and Tusla.

More widely, this Government acknowledges the important role that carers play and is fully committed to supporting them in that role. Accordingly, the current State Pension (Contributory) system provides for a range of measures including PRSI credits, Homemaking Disregards and HomeCaring Periods to recognise caring periods of up to 20 years outside of paid employment in the calculation of a payment rate. Foster carers are entitled to the benefits of the Homemaker’s Scheme or HomeCaring Periods, on the same basis as other carers, and will qualify if the carer is in receipt of Child Benefit. If the foster carer is not in receipt of Child Benefit, they can still qualify for Homemaker’s Scheme or HomeCaring Periods provided the caring periods are confirmed by Tusla.

Despite these measures, some long-term carers of incapacitated dependents may still face barriers in accessing the State Pension (Contributory). They may for example have difficulty establishing the minimum number of 10 years' paid contributions.

I announced a series of landmark reforms to the State Pension system in September. The measures are in response to the Pensions Commission’s recommendations and represent the biggest ever structural reform of the Irish State Pension system.

One of the most important reforms agreed by Government is enhanced State Pension provision for people who have been caring for incapacitated dependents for over 20 years. It will do this by attributing the equivalent of paid contributions to long-term carers to cover gaps in their contribution record. My Department will develop a system to register those caring periods so that the relevant contributions can be attributed to a long-term carer.

My officials are currently working to implement the reforms, including the drafting of legislation and development of administrative and IT systems as necessary.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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464. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason pensioners in receipt of the qualified adult increase receive the Christmas bonus but were not paid the recent cost-of-living increase that was paid to pensioners on the State pension (contributory) and (non-contributory). [24360/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The €200 Spring lump sum payment was paid to 1.3 million recipients in receipt of long-term social welfare payments. This lump sum was paid in late April and cost approximately €261 million.

The payment was made to primary recipients of a qualifying payment only.

This support was paid to a cohort defined on a similar basis to the Christmas Bonus, including to those on jobseeker's payments or Illness Benefit for over 12 months; with the addition of recipients of the Working Family Payment.

This lump sum is one of a range of Spring Cost of Living supports valued at over €410 million announced in February this year, this includes a €100 Child Benefit lump sum in June, an additional €100 on the rate of the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance and an extension of the Hot School Meals programme.

The February package follows on from a €2.2 Billion Social Protection Budget 2023 Package - the largest in the history of the state – which included eight lump sum payments in the last quarter of 2022.

My Department also brought in measures earlier in 2022 to help households with increasing prices, for example, two Fuel Allowance lump sums were paid in March and May and the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance was increased by €100.