Vol. 530 No. 6
326 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will give his latest estimate for the total numbers of carers in the State; if he will refer to the sources of his statistics; and if he has used any international comparisons such as the statistics on carers in other EU countries. [4761/01]
The carer's allowance is a means-tested payment for carers on low income who look after people in need of full-time care and attention. The estimate for the total numbers of carers in the State is drawn from the review of the carer's allowance, which was published by my Department in October 1998. The review noted that it is difficult to estimate the number of full-time carers. While care groups have provided various estimates as to the number of carers, they have provided no supporting basis for this figure and it is not clear that all of these are full-time carers. The numbers suggested by them may be due to their definition of carer, whereby someone visiting or assisting an older person may consider themselves to be a carer.
It must be borne in mind that the purpose of the carer's allowance is to support carers who are providing full-time care and attention for persons who are medically assessed as having such a serious disability that they require care for at least 12 months. Based on the research carried out in the review, the current number of full-time carers is estimated to be 50,000, covering carers of older people and adults and children with disabilities. I will arrange to have a copy of the review sent to the Deputy which sets out in greater detail the basis for the current estimate.
