James Geoghegan (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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118. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection for an update and timeline for the removal of the means test for carer’s allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9860/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Government is very aware of the key role that family carers play in Irish society and the challenges they face and is fully committed to supporting carers in that role.

The Programme for Government has set out a timeline which commits to significantly increasing the income disregards for Carer’s Allowance in each Budget with a view to phasing out the means test during the lifetime of the Government.

I trust that this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.

Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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119. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will consider extending the domiciliary care allowance eligibility criteria from 16 years of age to 18 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9953/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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My Department provides the Domiciliary Care Allowance which is a monthly non-means tested payment to a parent or guardian for a child aged up to 16 who has a severe disability and requires care and attention substantially over and above that required by other children their age.

From January 2025, the rate of Domiciliary Care Allowance increased from €340 to €360 per month. As of January, there were 57,759 families in receipt of the payment in relation to 65,230 children. Expenditure in 2025 is estimated at over €301 million.

Domiciliary Care Allowance ceases to be payable when a child reaches 16 years of age. The young person can then apply for Disability Allowance if they meet the eligibility requirements. Disability Allowance is a long-term disability payment which is subject to a means test, medical assessment and a habitual residency requirement.

One of the key proposals in the Green Paper on Disability Reform was to extend the upper age limit for Domiciliary Care Allowance and the lower age limit for Disability Allowance to 18 years of age. The Green Paper was a consultation document. Based on the feedback received during the public consultation the process was discontinued.

Any future reform of disability payments, will be considered as part of a broader review of disability matters on a whole-of-government basis and will take account of the feedback received during the Green Paper process.

I trust this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.