Vol. 505 No. 7
87 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the progress, if any, made on the three main objectives of the working group on the review of the carer's allowance particularly to recognise and support the valuable role of carers; and the level of supports available to carers. [14411/99]
The objectives of the carer's allowance were considered by the working group who reviewed the allowance to be threefold as follows: to provide income support to full-time carers on low incomes; to maintain people in the community; to recognise and support the valuable role of carers.
Following a detailed examination of the review of the carer's allowance, which was launched in October 1998, a range of measures was introduced in the 1999 budget, at an additional annual cost of over £18 million, to improve and develop the position of carers. The estimated expenditure on carer's allowance in 1999 is almost £60 million.
Government policy is strongly in favour of supporting care in the community and enabling people to remain in their own homes for as long as possible. However, the State cannot, and would not wish to, replace the personal support and care provided within the family and the community. Therefore, its primary role is to provide adequate support to carers and to those for whom they are caring, to enable them to remain in their own communities for as long as possible.
It was recognised in the review that "respite care is one of the most important services required by carers" in order to provide the carer with regular breaks and emergency cover. From this month an annual payment of £200 will be made automatically to all carers receiving carer's allowance as a contribution towards respite care to be used as they wish. It is estimated that almost 12,000 carers will benefit from this proposal at an annual cost of over £2.4 million.
The review considered that a needs assessment encompassing both the needs of the care recipient and the carer should be introduced. This would separate care needs from income support needs and could be used by all State organisations which provide reliefs or grants to those in need of care. A working group, which is chaired by Deputy Moffatt, Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, and also comprising membership from the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs and the health boards, has been set up to advance this proposal.
The measures introduced in the 1999 budget clearly indicate my personal commitment and that of the Government to carers, who enable people in need of care to be looked after in their own homes and communities, and the appreciation we must all have for this valuable role in our society. In addition, my colleagues the Minister for Finance, the Minister for Health and Children and the Minister for the Environment and Local Government have also brought forward proposals of assistance to carers. The Government is conscious that such a cross-cutting approach is required and needs to be developed further.
