Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

511. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he has examined the repercussions that the National Minimum Wage Act 2000 will have on carers (details supplied); if he plans plan to communicate this change to carers and advise them of the repercussions it may have on their ability to claim carer’s allowance or carer’s benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35396/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Department of Social Protection provides a range of income supports to carers, which includes Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance, and the Carer’s Support Grant. The combined spending on these payments is estimated at over €1.9 billion in 2025.

The main objective of these carer payments is to provide income support to those whose earning ability is greatly impacted by their caring responsibilities, ensuring ongoing care for those in need.

A primary qualifying condition for these payments is that the applicant provides full-time care and attention to a person in need of such care. The person being cared for must be so incapacitated as to require full-time care and attention and be likely to require this level of care and attention for at least 12 months.

A carer is regarded as providing full-time care and attention where the number of hours providing such care is not less than 35 hours in a period of seven consecutive days, and care is provided on any five days, whether consecutive or not, within a period of seven consecutive days.

To support carers staying connected to the workforce and to support broader social inclusion, carers may engage in employment, education or training for up to 18.5 hours per week, while still being regarded as being in a position to provide full-time care and continue to receive their full payment. During this time of employment, education or training, adequate provision must be made for the care of the relevant person.

Both the full-time care and attention requirement and the 18.5-hour limitation are set out in the respective legislative provisions of the Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit and Carer’s Support Grant schemes.

Carers must notify the Department of any change in their circumstances. The quickest way of informing the Department is through MyWelfare, by selecting the ‘Manage my Claim’ option.

Under Section 8 of the National Minimum Wage Act 2000, time spent travelling between an employee's place of residence and their place of work is not included in the definition of "working hours" for the employee's pay reference period. People are not generally paid for the time spent travelling to and from their place of employment. Where people do not have a fixed place of work or where travel is part of their job, different arrangements may be in place.

I trust that this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.