Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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341. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of recipients of the carer’s support grant who qualify on account of receiving domiciliary care allowance only and who do not receive either carer's allowance or carer's benefit. [40247/24]

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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340. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the total number of recipients of the carer’s support grant; the number of recipients of the grant who receive it on account of receiving carer’s allowance, carer’s benefit and domiciliary care allowance; and the number of recipients of the carer’s support grant who do not receive any of these three payments. [40246/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 341 and 340 together.

At the end of August 2024, there were 133,683 recipients of the Carer's Support Grant.

Of these, 95,565 were in receipt of Carer's Allowance, 3,774 were in receipt of Carer's Benefit and 55,946 were in receipt of Domiciliary Care Allowance.

28,441 individuals were in receipt of the Carer's Support Grant and Domiciliary Care Allowance but were in receipt of neither Carer's Allowance nor Carer's Benefit.

5,910 individuals were in receipt of Carer's Support Grant and were not receiving any of the other three payments.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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342. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection in relation to the cost estimate range for abolishing the carer's allowance means test, which she put on the record of €600 million to €2 billion, if she will clarify if the €2 billion is based upon the assumption that all persons who self-declared themselves to be carers in Census of Population 2022 would become eligible for carer’s allowance in the absence of the means-test, and that this would include people who self-declared that they provide up to 14 hours of care per week and between 15 and 28 hours of care per week, both categories of whom would be ineligible for carer’s allowance given the scheme's requirement that you must be providing at least 35 hours of care per week. [40278/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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There are a number of reasonable scenarios that could be used when attempting to provide the cost estimate range of abolishing the Carer's Allowance means test.

For this costing, data from the 2022 Census was used. In Census 2022, approximately 290,000 people over 19 years of age self-reported themselves as carers.

Given the uncertainty about how many of these carers would meet the eligibility requirements for Carer's Allowance, e.g., the requirements for full-time care and 35 hours or more per week, a 'High Scenario' of 70% of self-reported carers in 2022 being eligible for Carer's Allowance was used. This assumption resulted in a costing of approximately 2 billion euros for the abolishment of the Carer's Allowance means test. 'Medium' and 'low' scenarios were also costed. None of these scenarios are based on the assumption that all persons who self-declared themselves to be carers in Census of Population 2022 would become eligible for carer’s allowance in the absence of the means-test.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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343. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason her Department's costing estimate on the proposal to abolish the means-test for carer’s allowance was based on the assumption of 146,046 recipients of the carer's support grant, when that payment is received by 132,523 carers. [40279/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The costing was based on the 146,046 carees/care recipients as per data available to my department on 31/12/2023. A Carer’s Support Grant is paid in respect of each of these care recipients.

Under the legislation that pertains to Carer’s Allowance these people, defined as relevant persons, have been deemed by the department as requiring and receiving full-time care and attention.

The provision of a full-time care and attention to a relevant person is one of two key eligibility criteria for the Carer’s Allowance scheme as it currently operates, the second being the requirement to satisfy a means test. In the absence of a means test it is reasonable to assume a Carer’s Allowance payment could be paid in respect of each of these known number of people requiring full-time care and attention. Thus, this was the rationale for using this figure as the basis of the costing.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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344. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of carers in receipt of carer’s allowance in total, and of that figure, the number in receipt of a half-rate payment. [40280/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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A person in receipt of certain social welfare payments who is providing full time care and attention to another person may retain their payment, and receive a half-rate Carer's Allowance payment as well. At the end of August 2024, there were 97,360 recipients of Carer's Allowance. Of these, 45,727 were in receipt of a half-rate payment.