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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 5 Jun 1991

Vol. 409 No. 4

Written Answers. - Carer's Allowance Cost.

Jim O'Keeffe

Question:

35 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether any analysis has been undertaken of the relative cost of extending substantially the scope of the carer's allowance as opposed to the cost of institutional care; and his views of whether, in social and in economic terms, this is the preferred option.

The carer's allowance scheme, which I introduced last November, is primarily an income maintenance payment provided on a means-tested basis to carers who are giving full-time care and attention to elderly or invalided social welfare pensioners. The new allowance represents a significant improvement on the more restrictive prescribed relative allowance.

No analysis has been undertaken by my Department of the cost of a general extension of the carer's allowance as against the cost of institutional care. That question has much wider implications which would fall to be considered by my colleague, the Minister for Health, in the context of current Government policy in this area.
From July next, the carer's allowance scheme will be extended to include carers of recipients of disabled person's maintenance allowance together with carers of persons in receipt of pensions from countries with which this country has a bilateral social security agreement. The maximum weekly allowance of £45 will also be increased to £50. In addition, the allowance for each child dependent on the carer will be increased from £11 to £12.
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