Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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361. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will bring forward changes to the means test for carer's allowance to January 2024 rather than June 2024, given the hardship family carers are facing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46304/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Government acknowledges the important role that family carers play and is fully committed to supporting carers in that role. This commitment is recognised in both the Programme for Government and the National Carers’ Strategy.

The key role of my Department is to provide income supports where an income need may arise due to unemployment, illness/disability and caring responsibilities. The payments provided are an income support to people who cannot earn, or can only earn a limited income, and who have no other means or resources to rely upon.

• Last June the income disregards were increased from €332.50 to €350 for a single person, and from €665 to €750 for carers with a spouse/partner.
• In addition, I increased the capital/savings disregard from €20,000 to €50,00.
• As part of Budget 2024, the weekly income disregard will be increased further from €350 to €450 for a single person, and from €750 to €900 for carers with a spouse/partner.

• In November a €400 a lump sum will be paid to people receiving the Carer's Support Grant.
• Also in November a special payment of €100 will be made for each qualified child on a claim – including on Carer's Claims.
• A Christmas Bonus Double Payment will be paid to people in receipt of carer's payments
• From January 2024 there will be an increase of €12 in maximum personal rate of weekly carer's payments, with proportionate increases for qualified adults and those on reduced rates with an additional €4 increase per child.
• Also, in January 2024 there will be an additional once-off double Cost of Living Support Payment, which will be paid to qualifying Social Protection recipients including, carers and people on long-term disability payments.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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362. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kildare is having a weekly deduction from their social welfare payment; the amount that may still be owed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46328/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Child Benefit is a monthly payment to the parents or guardians of children under 16 years of age. Child Benefit can also be claimed for children aged 16 and 17 if they are in full-time education or full-time training or have a disability and cannot support themselves.

Child Benefit for the person concerned was reviewed in October 2011. Child Benefit payment for a child was disallowed for the period 1^stFebruary 2010 to 30^thJune 2011, as this child was over 16 and had left full time education in January 2010. The person concerned was notified of an overpayment amounting to €3,059.00.

Following correspondence from the customer, a recovery plan of €20 per month was agreed in November 2011.

The current outstanding balance is €587.58 and the customer is continuing with her repayments of €20 per month.

I hope this clarifies the position for the deputy.

Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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363. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if there are supports available for businesses who employ people with a disability as part of their staff; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46354/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My Department provides a wide range of supports for jobseekers and existing employees with disabilities as well as specific financial incentives for private sector employers to encourage them to recruit and retain jobseekers with disabilities. These supports include the Reasonable Accommodation Fund, the Disability Awareness Support Scheme and the Wage Subsidy Scheme.

The Reasonable Accommodation Fund includes four grants which were designed to assist jobseekers and existing employees with disabilities, and to encourage employers in the private sector to recruit Jobseekers with disabilities:

• Employee Retention Grant is available to assist employers to retain employees who acquire a disability. The grant provides funding to identify accommodation and/or training needs to enable the employee to remain in his/her current position. Funding varies from a maximum of €2,500 or 90% of eligible programme costs to fund an occupational capacity and workplace job assessment or to a maximum of €12,500 or 90% of eligible programme costs for training and job coach support.
• Workplace Equipment/Adaptation Grant, where a maximum of €6,350 can be given towards the cost of adaptations to premises or equipment. Applications in excess of this sum are considered on an individual basis up to a maximum of €9,523 if specialist training for assistive technology is required.
• Job Interview Interpreter Grant, which provides funding for a sign language interpreter or other interpreter to attend interviews for a jobseeker who is deaf, hard of hearing or has speech impairment. The amount of the grant payable is based on an hourly fee paid which may vary. There is no limit to the number of interviews a person can attend with an interpreter.
• Personal Reader Grant, whereby a person employed in the private sector who is or is becoming blind or visually impaired, and who needs assistance with job-related reading, can apply for a grant to support them to employ a personal reader. The amount payable is based on an hourly fee paid to the reader, in line with the current minimum wage, for an agreed period up to a maximum of 640 hours per year.

• the first year that a company applies, 90% of eligible training costs up to a maximum of €20,000.
• the second and subsequent years, 80% of eligible training costs up to a maximum of €20,000 in any one calendar year.