Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

534. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will address the issue of supports for families who are sharing custody of children with special needs (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35761/25]

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

Carer’s Allowance is the main scheme by which the Department provides income support to carers in the community. Carer’s Allowance is a means tested social assistance payment awarded to those who are caring for people who need full-time care and attention. Like other income supports the payment is intended to provide an income support for people who cannot earn income through employment or other means due to caring responsibilities.

In order to be eligible for Carer’s Allowance the applicant must be the main carer for the child. The time spent providing care must not be less than 35 hours over 5-7 days.

In certain cases, Carer’s Allowance can be paid on a shared basis with another person, where two people alternate caring duties week-on/week-off, or where care is shared with an institution. In these circumstances, both carers may split the weekly payment and the annual Carer’s Support Grant, provided all qualifying criteria are met. Each carer may also receive the Household Benefits Package if eligible. All the usual qualifying conditions for Carer's Allowance will apply to carers availing of these arrangements.

There are currently 20 carers availing of these arrangements. None of these appear to be joint custody cases.

Domiciliary Care Allowance is a separate monthly non-means tested payment of €360 to a parent or guardian for a child aged up to 16 who has a severe disability. The payment is not based on the type of disability. It is based on the impact of the disability. To qualify for this payment, the child must normally live at home with the applicant for at least five or more days a week.

Since January 2019, Domiciliary Care Allowance can be paid in respect of child who, under a joint custody agreement, resides with and is cared for, in turn, by two persons who are living apart. The qualified child will be regarded as residing with the nominated person and the allowance will be paid to that person, and where no nominated person is provided, Domiciliary Care Allowance will be paid to the person to whom Child Benefit is payable in respect of that child.

Where a person who has an income need does not qualify for either of these payments, they might qualify for another of the Department's income supports.

I want to assure the Deputy that my department keeps this approach under review. The Department regularly reviews all of its schemes in order to ensure that they are still delivering on their policy aims and objectives.

I trust that this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.