Noel Ahern
Question:100 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Social Welfare the cost to give a nominal £25 per week to all adults who give full time care and attention to elderly or disabled persons, irrespective of means. [10011/95]
Vol. 453 No. 7
100 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Social Welfare the cost to give a nominal £25 per week to all adults who give full time care and attention to elderly or disabled persons, irrespective of means. [10011/95]
The carer's allowance is a social assistance scheme which provides an income maintenance payment to people who are providing elderly or incapacitated pensioners with full-time care and attention and whose income falls below certain limits.
There are an estimated 30,000 carers providing full time care and attention to elderly or incapacitated people. Of these, some 5,800 are in receipt of a carer's allowance. The cost of paying those not in receipt of a carer's allowance a minimum of £25 a week, irrespective of means, would be £32 million in a full year. Expenditure on the carer's allowance, which provides for a maximum weekly payment of £62.50 from next month, will be over £20 million this year.
101 Miss M. Wallace asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Sligo has not been awarded the widower's pension in spite of the fact that he paid PRSI all his life; the reason this person is still paying PRSI in spite of the fact that he is now seventy-six years of age. [10014/95]
According to the records of my Department, the person concerned is working in a self-employed capacity and has paid PRSI contributions since 1984 at the Class K1 rate — 2.25 per cent. This contribution rate comprises the health contribution, 1.25 per cent and the employment and training levy, 1 per cent only. Class K1 contributions do not provide cover for any social welfare benefits.