Vol. 486 No. 4
25 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs his views on the need for a substantial improvement in the terms of the carer's allowance; if the departmental review has been completed; if he will publish the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2883/98]
The carer's allowance is a social assistance scheme which provides an income maintenance payment to people, who are providing elderly or incapacitated pensioners or certain persons with disabilities with full-time care and attention, and whose incomes fall below certain limits. At the end of last September, 9,930 people were in receipt of a carer's allowance at a cost of over £36 million in 1997.
Since its introduction in 1990, the allowance has been improved and expanded progressively over the years. As announced in the budget, the weekly personal rate of the carer's allowance is being increased from June by £5, from £70.50 to £75.50, for those over the age of 66 and £3 for carers under 66, from £70.50 to £73.50. In addition, the budget also provided for two additional improvements for carers. These include a disregard of non-national disability pensions up to the maximum level of the old age contributory pension in assessing means and the provision of a free travel pass to all those in receipt of carer's allowance in their own right.
In An Action Programme for the Millennium the Government is committed to progressively relaxing the qualifying criteria for carer's allowance to ensure that more carers can obtain the benefit and increasing the value of the allowance in real terms. In line with these commitments, an overall review of carer's allowance is being carried out within the Department. This review is considering the purpose and development of the scheme in terms of its current operation and its future development. It will also examine the potential for the development of provision for carers through the social insurance system and the role of the private sector. The review is expected to be completed by the middle of this year and it will be published. Any changes in the scheme would have to be considered in a budgetary context.
Does the Minister accept that the 30,000 carers who look after the seriously ill, the elderly and the disabled are the unsung heroes of society? Does he also accept that they carry out their work each day for no payment — without the luxury of a break — and that they have been badly treated not only by the Government but by society in general? Does he further agree that carers expected that a reasonable deal would be forthcoming from the recent budget but their hopes were dashed? Is the Minister ashamed that he could not do more for carers? Does he accept that, apart from the individuals involved, it is in the interests of society to support carers and encourage people to allow the elderly, the disabled and the handicapped to remain at home rather than placing them in institutions?
I accept there is a genuine need for carers, which was recognised by the Fianna Fáil Government in 1990 when the scheme was introduced by my predecessor, Deputy Woods.
There is a history attached to that decision.
The scheme has been progressively improved in the interim. The fact that a review is taking place to consider the objectives of the scheme and its future constrained my approach in the recent budget. As already stated, the Government made a policy decision to provide a significant increase in the rates payable to carers, namely, £5 for those over the age of 66 and £3 for those under 66. In itself, that is a significant increase in the money carers receive. When the results of the review are forthcoming, I hope to introduce additional benefits in the area of carer's allowance.
Does the Minister accept there is no excuse for his sheltering behind a review which has been ongoing for many months? Does he also accept that while every situation involving carers is different there are, in addition to the regular expenses incurred from caring for an infirm or disabled person, respite or nursing costs? In that context, will the Minister consider the proposal I made prior to the budget that, apart from a relaxation in the means test to allow additional people to qualify for carer's allowance, there should be a carer's respite allowance available to all carers? I proposed that a modest figure of £1,000 be paid twice a year, the 30,000 carers who look after people who require full-time care and attention should be given a carer's respite allowance and, in addition, the top-up payment should be based on means. Will the Minister give serious consideration to this reasonable proposal from the point of view of the carers in question and the kind of society we should be attempting to develop?
As the Deputy will appreciate, many of the issues relating to carers and those for whom they care are dealt with by a number of Departments. That is one of the reasons for the review of this extremely complicated area. Everyone accepts that plans for the future must be made in respect of carers. Any suggestions made by the Deputy or others will feed into the review. I hope to obtain the review in the near future and I will then endeavour to implement some of its recommendations, subject to budgetary considerations, at the end of the year.
When he receives the review, will the Minister bring it before the Joint Committee on Social, Community and Family Affairs for discussion? As Deputy O'Keeffe indicated, everyone has ideas about how the carer's allowance scheme can be improved. Does the Minister agree that recent improvements to the carer's allowance scheme did not result in new carers qualifying for payment but merely benefited those already in the scheme? Does he also agree that the criteria for qualification remain the same as last year? In the context of the review, will the Minister consider the issue of residency and the requirement that people must live with the person they care for 24 hours a day? There are circumstances where that is not appropriate. Having previously occupied the Minister's position, I appreciate the difficulties involved but this issue must be addressed if we are to tackle the 30,000 people who provide care on a full-time basis.
I accept the Deputy's last point on full-time care and attention which was one of the issues I considered in the context of the budget. There is room for a further relaxation of the rules in that regard. I accept that the numbers involved have not been extended in any great measure by the changes in the scheme. However, we did not want to interfere with the scheme and be forced to withdraw amendments to it if something major, which we had not anticipated, emerged from the review. I am an extremely strong supporter of the scheme as it has stood the test of time. We must make a quantum leap in the coming years and this is one of a number of key issues that involves all Departments, not only mine. We are examining pensions in terms of the ageing population and how that will be addressed. There are broader issues involved but in regard to the carer's allowance I assure Deputies it is being examined as intensively as possible and hopefully in the coming year we will be able to do something significant in that regard.
I compliment the Minister on introducing a free travel pass for carers but why must they wait until October for it? Has he examined what it would cost to introduce it in April, for example? Carers often take those they look after to hospital but in the summer months it would be valuable if the carers could take those for whom they care out in the fine weather as it would be good for them. The reason the budget was introduced before Christmas was so that benefits would be provided earlier than in previous years. It will be next winter before they receive the benefit of this.
I thank the Deputy for her comments. However, in the context of trying to fit everything into a budget package it is not always possible to introduce new benefits early in the first year. I cannot provide the Deputy with a figure for the overall cost of it but if she tables a separate question I may be able to give her that information. Carers will have the benefit of the travel pass before the end of the year and that is to be welcomed.
I wish to raise the question of the review referred to earlier by Deputy De Rossa. Who is carrying it out and when did it begin? Is it possible that the matter could be addressed by the Oireachtas committee before the review is completed so that the views of Members could be input and the officials involved could be questioned on the costings of different proposals?
I am sorry I did not reply to Deputy De Rossa's question on whether the review could be brought before the committee when it is published. I undertake to do so provided it fits into the timescale of the Department involved. With regard to Deputy O'Keeffe's question, it is an internal departmental review and I will read the terms of reference into the record if he wishes.
There is no need. When did the review begin?
I am not sure but it began at least a few months ago.
The Minister told me about it last October.
I expect it will be brought forward quickly.
Who is carrying it out?
It is being carried out internally and there may be consultants involved, but I will obtain information on that for the Deputy.
Will individuals appear before the committee to consider its input?
If the committee wishes to make a submission to me on the issue of the carer's allowance, I will take it on board and include it in the review.
A review was undertaken while I was in office in conjunction with the Department of Health and an interim report was produced. Is the current review a continuation of that?
Yes.
