Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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520. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection whether he intends to review the means testing criteria for carer’s allowance during the current Government's term; if so, if he will provide details of the plan for this review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15679/25]

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.

There have been a number of significant improvements made to the income thresholds in the means test in recent years. As part of Budget 2025, the weekly income disregard will increase in July from €450 to €625 for a single person, and from €900 to €1,250 for carers with a spouse or partner. This will make the scheme accessible to more people.

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

I trust that this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.