Written Answers. - Family Support Services.
Liz McManus
Question:
39
Ms McManus
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
the position with regard to the provision of a respite grant for qualifying families where there is more than one person requiring respite care; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[15036/00]
Breeda Moynihan-Cronin
Question:
43
Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
if, in regard to the commitment given in the review of An Action Programme for the Millennium, he will outline the specific measures planned to put in place a co-ordinated approach to address the needs of carers; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[15023/00]
Michael D. Higgins
Question:
45
Mr. M. Higgins
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
if he has given any consideration to the introduction of a cost of caring allowance to cover the cost of items, which are essential to the delivery of quality care, such as dietary supplements and nappies, but are not covered by the drugs refund scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[15035/00]
Breeda Moynihan-Cronin
Question:
60
Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
if he will abolish the means test for carers allowance.
[15047/00]
Dick Spring
Question:
74
Mr. Spring
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
if he has given any consideration to the creation of a database on carers; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[15037/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 39, 43, 45, 60 and 74 together.
As part of the Government's commitment to carers, as set out in An Action Programme for the Millennium, and arising from the review of the carer's allowance which was published by my Department in October 1998, I introduced major improvements to the carer's allowance scheme in the 1999 and 2000 budgets.
One of the many measures I introduced in 1999 was a new annual respite care grant and in budget 2000 I made provision to increase this grant from £200 to £300. This grant is payable to all carers in receipt of carer's allowance and to carers who are caring for recipients of a constant attendance or prescribed relatives allowance to use in whatever way they choose. The feedback on this payment, in enabling carers to have some break, has been good and I will keep its operation under review bearing in mind the point raised by Deputy McManus.
In budget 2000 I announced the introduction of a new carer's benefit which will come into operation in October to support people who must leave the workforce to care for someone who is in need of full-time care and attention. I also extended the free electricity allowance and free television licence schemes to all qualified carers from October thereby ensuring that carers will qualify for all free schemes from October.
The extensive measures that I have introduced in recent budgets to benefit carers clearly indicate my personal commitment and that of the Government to carers. This is reflected in the number of carers in receipt of carer's allowance and the increased expenditure. There are currently 15,238 carer's allowances in payment, an increase of over 60% in the number of carers claiming the allowance since this Government took office. Expenditure on carer's allowance was £36.5 million in 1997 and is projected to be £78.3 million this year, representing an increase of 115%.
In the review of An Action Programme for the Millennium, the Government pledged to put in place a co-ordinated approach addressing the needs of carers. One of the key priorities is to develop a partnership model to facilitate the development, by the State in conjunction with the private sector, of an improved system for meeting long-term care costs.
To this end, one of the remaining proposals arising from the review of the carer's allowance will be examined this year. A consultancy study will be undertaken to examine issues relating to long-term care, both in terms of cost and possible partnership approaches and the possible role of the PRSI system in this regard.
Another of the key priorities identified in the Government's review of its action programme is to establish a pilot system of needs assessment for carers and people needing care to be operated by the health boards. This area is the responsibility of my colleague the Minister for Health and Children. However, I understand that the Western Health Board has agreed to undertake this pilot project in their area and that needs assessments will be commencing in the near future.
The review of the carer's allowance noted that the carer's allowance is an income support pay ment and not a payment for caring. As with all other social assistance schemes, a means test is applied to ensure that limited resources are directed to those in greatest need. The means test has been eased significantly in the past few years, most notably with the introduction of disregards of income from employment and other sources, and the review noted that the means test is one of the more generous tests in terms of the assessment of household income. The review concluded that the means test should be maintained as a way of targeting public resources towards those who are most in need.
However, the review did recommend the payment of a continual care payment to recognise all carers who were providing the highest levels of care. This would be a non-means tested payment available to all carers, including social welfare recipients, regardless of their income. In order to provide this payment, an assessment of the care levels being provided would be required. This proposal will be examined further when the pilot project on needs assessment has been completed.
The review also examined the issue of a cost of care allowance and considered it to be within the remit of the Department of Health and Children. It is similar to the requests for a cost of disability payment which the Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities recommended should be introduced by the Department of Health and Children.
The creation of a database containing details of the level of caring provided and types of services required, as proposed by the Deputy, could only be developed following a needs assessment and therefore, is also a matter for the Department of Health and Children who have responsibility for the health and services provision in this area.
The question of further improvements to the carer's allowance and for carers generally will be considered in a budgetary context, taking account of our key priorities in the care area, as set out in the review of our action programme.
