Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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620. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to provide an update on the abolition of the means test for carer's allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51314/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government has clearly 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.

It is important to note that the process of easing the means test has already begun. The latest change occurred in July when the weekly income disregard for Carer's Allowance was increased from €450 to €625 for a single person, and from €900 to €1,250 for carers with a spouse/partner. This was as a result of a Budget 2025 measure. This amounts to cumulative increases to the disregards of €292.50 and €585 respectively, or 88%, since June 2022.

The latest improvements mean that more carers can now avail of Carer’s Allowance and others already in receipt of the support may potentially receive a higher rate of payment. Since July a carer in a two-adult household with an income of approximately €69,000 will retain their full carer's payment and even with an income of €97,000 will retain a partial payment.

I will consider any further improvements to the Carer's Allowance means test in the context of the upcoming Budget and in light of available resources.