Liam Quaide (Cork East, Social Democrats)
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532. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to outline all the supports available from his Department for families with twins, in particular for families who are full-time carers to twins with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57263/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Government acknowledges the valuable role that family carers play and is fully committed to supporting carers in that role. The key role of the Department of Social Protection is to provide income supports where an income need may arise due to unemployment, illness/disability and caring responsibilities.

The main income supports to family carers provided by my Department are Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant. Spending on these payments is expected to amount to over €2.2 billion in 2026.

Carer's Allowance is made up of a personal rate for the carer with additional amounts for qualified child dependents. Currently, the standard personal rate for a carer under age 66 is €260 per week and for a carer aged 66 or over the rate is €298. As announced in Budget 2026, these will increase by €10 to €270 and €308 per week respectively from January. Where a carer is providing full-time care and attention to more than one person, as in the case outlined by the Deputy, the rate of Carer's Allowance payable is increased by 50% of the standard personal rate.

Similarly, the weekly non-means tested, social insurance-based Carer's Benefit payment has an increased personal rate where care is provided to more than one person. The current weekly rate for those caring for one person is €261. This rises to a weekly payment of €391.50 for those caring for more than one person. Carer’s Benefit is payable for up to 104 weeks in respect of each care recipient.

The current weekly rate of the Child Support Payment is €50 for a child aged under 12 and €62 in respect of a child aged 12 or over. From January these rates will increase to €58 and €78 per week respectively as a result of Budget 2026.

Carers of twins may also qualify for other supports from my Department including the non-means-tested annual Carer's Support Grant which is available for all full-time carers whether or not they are in receipt of a weekly carers’ payment from my department. The grant increased by €150 this year to €2,000 - its highest ever level. A grant is paid for each person being cared for.

Domiciliary Care Allowance is payable to a parent or guardian in respect of a child aged under 16 who has a severe disability and requires continual or continuous care and attention substantially over and above the care and attention usually required by a child of the same age. The child must be likely to require this level of care and attention for at least 12 consecutive months. Where a person is caring for more than one child who qualifies for Domiciliary Care Allowance, they may claim the monthly allowance of €360 for each child. As a result of Budget 2025 this will increase by €20 to €380 per month from January. There is no restriction on the number of children a person may claim Domiciliary Care Allowance for.

It should also be noted that, in the case of twins, Child Benefit is paid at one-and-a-half times the normal monthly rate for each child. That is, €210 per month in respect of each child.

Families with children may also qualify for the Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance. Following Budget 2026, this allowance of €160 has been extended to eligible children aged 2 and 3.

The Programme for Government contains a number of commitments to improve the supports available to family carers. These include a commitment to continue to increase the Carer’s Support Grant and to progressively increase weekly carer support payments. In addition, the Government has committed to examining how carers who are providing full-time care and attention to more than one person can be better supported.

These commitments will be advanced over the lifetime of the Government and in light of available resources.

I trust that this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.