Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The social welfare system provides significant recognition to those whose work history includes an extended period of time outside the paid workplace, often to raise families or in a full-time caring role.

This is provided through the award of credits and/or disregards while an individual is engaged in caring. Details of these are:

• Credits – PRSI credits are awarded to recipients of carer’s allowance and carer’s benefit where they have an underlying entitlement to credits. Credits are also awarded to workers who take unpaid carer’s leave from work. These credits are usually awarded at the employee's last rate of PRSI paid and may be used to maintain entitlement to a range of the Department's schemes.
• The Homemaker’s Scheme - The scheme is designed to help homemakers and carers qualify for State pension (contributory). The scheme allows periods caring for children or people with a caring need to be disregarded when working out a person's yearly average contributions for a State pension (contributory). This can make it easier for a homemaker to qualify for the pension.
• HomeCaring Periods – homecaring periods may be awarded for each week not already covered by a paid or credited social insurance contribution (regardless of when they occurred) to a maximum of 20 years. Homecaring periods can only be used under the aggregated contribution method (also known as the interim total contributions approach) of State pension (contributory) calculation.

Despite these measures, some long-term carers of incapacitated dependents may still face barriers in accessing the State pension (contributory). This was recognised by the Pensions Commission in its report which recommended that long-term carers should be given access to the State pension (contributory) and defined long-term caring as caring for more than 20 years. It was also recognised that long-term carers may, for example, have difficulty establishing the minimum number of 10 years (520) paid contributions.

One of the key landmark pension reform measures I introduced from January this year was to enhance State pension provision for people who have been caring for incapacitated dependents for 20 years or more. This is achieved by attributing the equivalent of paid contributions to long-term carers to cover gaps in their contribution record. In implementing this reform I was particularly conscious of carers who have been unable to work and have been caring for a child with a disability through childhood and now into adulthood.

It should be noted that if a person does not satisfy the conditionality to qualify for a contributions-based benefit they may qualify for a means tested assistance payment or a payment under the supplementary welfare provisions.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.