Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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376. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 502 of 18 November 2025, the advice she would give to a teacher who has moved schools in the past 12-months but, due to their child’s illness, are forced to temporarily leave work and cannot qualify for carer’s allowance. [67757/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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If a person is not eligible for statutory Carer’s Leave but decides to take time away from their employment to provide full time care and attention to someone who needs it, they may be entitled to Carer’s Allowance or Carer’s Benefit paid by my Department.

Carer's Allowance is a means-tested social assistance payment. The Programme for Government has 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. From July 2026, the weekly income disregard will increase from €625 to €1,000 for a single person and from €1,250 to €2,000 for a spouse/partner.

Carer’s Benefit is an entitlement based on the person’s social insurance contributions and can be paid for up to 104 weeks.

If there is a particular case the Deputy wished to have reviewed please supply details.

Applications for both schemes can now be made online via MyWelfare.

Enquiries relating to Carer’s Leave are dealt with by the Workplace Relations Commission.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.