Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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265. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will consider including verified disability-related expenses and private care costs as allowable deductions when assessing means for carer’s allowance; given the reality of many families not being able to access public healthcare supports due to significant delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56297/25]

Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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267. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection in relation to the income thresholds for carers allowance; if will he consider introducing a model similar to the Disability Tax Credit approach, where disability-related costs are acknowledged as reducing disposable income, thereby adjusting eligibility thresholds accordingly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56299/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 265 and 267 together.

Carer’s Allowance is a means-tested payment for people who are providing full-time care to someone who is incapacitated. It is designed to support carers whose ability to earn is significantly limited due to their caring responsibilities.

By its nature, the means test takes account of the income a person or couple has in terms of cash and capital. It does not take account of a person’s expenditure. In line with most social assistance payments, a number of deductions are permitted for Carer's Allowance such as PRSI before the income disregard is applied.

Any such change to include other costs, such as those associated with caring, disability related expenses or other deductions in the calculation of income such as those applied by Revenue in the form of credits or reliefs, would have significant budgetary implications and would give rise to inconsistencies in how means tests are applied across schemes and would significantly increase the complexity of the means assessment process.

The Programme for Government 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.

Just last week, as part of Budget 2026, I announced further improvements to the Carer’s Allowance means test that will be introduced next year. For carers who work, the weekly income disregard will be increased by 60% from €625 to €1,000 for a single person, and from €1,250 to €2,000 for carers with a spouse/partner/co-habitant. Since June 2022, this will amount to cumulative increases to the disregards of €667.50 for a single carer and €1,335 for a carer who is part of couple, or an increase of just over 200%.

These are the largest ever increases in the Carer’s Allowance income disregard and will mean that even people with what are considered to be relatively high incomes will qualify for a carer’s payment for the first time. For example, a carer in a two-adult household with an income of approximately €110,000 will still retain their full carers' payment and even with an income of €138,000 will retain a partial payment.

The latest changes are evidence of the Government’s determination to deliver on its commitment in the Programme for Government to eliminate the means test over the life of this Government.

I trust this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.

Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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266. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the position regarding the phasing out of the carers allowance means test, as committed to in the Programme for Government; if there is a timeline for this commitment to be met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56298/25]

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.

As part of Budget 2026, we are increasing the income disregard for a single person by €375 per week to €1,000. That’s an increase of 60% and means that a single person who provides full time care but does some part-time work can earn over €55,000 per year from that work, and receive a full carers payment. In parallel, we are also increasing the income disregard for a couple by 60% or €750 to €2,000 per week.

These are the largest ever increases in the Carer’s Allowance income disregard and will mean that even people with what are considered to be relatively high incomes will qualify for a carer’s payment for the first time. For example, a carer in a two-adult household with an income of approximately €110,000 will still retain their full Carer’s Allowance payment and even with an income of €138,000 will retain a partial payment.

The latest changes are evidence of the Government’s determination to deliver on its commitment to eliminate the means test over pour term and will do so in a progressive manner as part of the annual budget process.

I trust this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.

Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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268. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the position regarding any research or consideration given into the payment of a universal or partially universal carer support payment to replace or supplement the means-tested system, ensuring equity across income brackets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56300/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Carer's Allowance payment is an income support for those carers who cannot earn adequate income in the open labour market due to their caring responsibilities. In this regard the Carer’s Allowance forms part of the system of social assistance supports that provide payments based on income need.

There have been regular calls by carers and their representative organisations for a more generous means assessment for the Carer’s Allowance over successive Budgets. In response to these calls and in acknowledgement of the important role that family carers play in our society, the Government has committed 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.

Recent progress was made at the start of July when the weekly income disregard increased from €450 to €625 for a single person, and from €900 to €1,250 for carers with a spouse or partner.

Further steps were taken last week as part of Budget 2026, when I announced more improvements to the Carer’s Allowance means test that will be introduced next year. For carers who work, the weekly income disregard will be increased by 60% from €625 to €1,000 for a single person, and from €1,250 to €2,000 for carers with a spouse/partner/co-habitant. Since June 2022, this will amount to cumulative increases to the disregards of €667.50 for a single carer and €1,335 for a carer who is part of couple, or an increase of just over 200%.

The increases in 2026 will result in more carers qualifying for Carer’s Allowance and many on a reduced rate seeing their payments increase. For example, a carer in a two-adult household with an income of approximately €110,000 will still retain their full Carer's Allowance payment and even with an income of €138,000 will retain a partial payment.

These are the largest ever increases in the Carer’s Allowance income disregard and will mean that even people with what are considered to be relatively high incomes will qualify for a carer’s payment for the first time. They are evidence of the Government’s determination to deliver on its commitment in the Programme for Government to eliminate the means test over the life of this Government.

It is important that we make progress in a way that is sustainable, and which balances the allocation of the available budgetary resources each year across all priorities. This includes funding services to other vulnerable groups such as disabled people, lone parents, pensioners and children. As such further changes to the Carer’s Allowance payment, will be made in a considered manner within an overall budgetary and policy context.

Finally it is important to note that my department makes a number of other income supports to carers that are not means assessed these include the annual Carer's Support Grant, the monthly Domiciliary Care Allowance payment and the weekly social insurance based Carer's Benefit. In this regard, I am satisfied that there a comprehensive suite of income supports available for carers across a range of income brackets.

I trust this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.

Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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269. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the engagement that he has had with advocacy groups (details supplied) regarding the practical impact of the income disregard limits and proposed reforms, in relation to the income thresholds for carers allowance, the feedback he received, the way in which it is being incorporated into policy development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56301/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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My department actively engages with carers and their advocacy groups.

In April this year I met the two principal groups who advocate for carers at national level, including the group mentioned by the Deputy.

In addition, my department hosted the Annual Carers’ Forum on 28 May. The purpose of the event is to provide carers with a voice at policy level. I was delighted to participate in that event and to talk to many individual carers as well as the groups that represent them.

The Pre-Budget Forum in July was another opportunity for me to hear the concerns of carer advocacy groups. This event also allowed me to meet with groups across the community and voluntary sector.

A number of positive changes introduced for carers over the years, such as increases to disregards, payment rates and working hours, were made on foot of engagements such as the Annual Carers’ Forum and the Pre-Budget Forum.

Over the past number of years carer advocacy groups have been regularly calling for the abolition of the Carer’s Allowance means test as a way to expand the coverage of the scheme to carers who are excluded or who are on a reduced payment due to means.

In response to these calls and in acknowledgement of the important role that family carers play in our society, the Government has committed 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.

Recent progress was made at the start of July when the weekly income disregard increased from €450 to €625 for a single person, and from €900 to €1,250 for carers with a spouse or partner.

Further steps were taken last week as part of Budget 2026, when I announced more improvements to the Carer’s Allowance means test that will be introduced next year. For carers who work, the weekly income disregard will be increased by 60% from €625 to €1,000 for a single person, and from €1,250 to €2,000 for carers with a spouse/partner/co-habitant. Since June 2022, this will amount to cumulative increases to the disregards of €667.50 for a single carer and €1,335 for a carer who is part of couple, or an increase of just over 200%.

The increases in 2026 will result in more carers qualifying for Carer’s Allowance and many on a reduced rate seeing their payments increase. For example, a carer in a two-adult household with an income of approximately €110,000 will still retain their full Carers payment and even with an income of €138,000 will retain a partial payment.

These are the largest ever increases in the Carer’s Allowance income disregard and will mean that even people with what are relatively high incomes will qualify for a carer’s payment for the first time. the carer's representative organisations advocate for the removal of the means test and we are committed to doing that. However, it is worth noting that this latest increase was in excess of the increase sought by the carers representative organisations as part of Budget 2026. They are evidence of the Government’s determination to deliver on its commitment in the Programme for Government to eliminate the means test over the life of this Government.

I can assure the Deputy that I am committed to continued engagement and dialogue with carers and their advocacy groups on the issues that matter to them.