Vol. 627 No. 3
90 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will extend the carer’s allowance to all those currently providing care for elderly relatives or persons with disabilities; if he will make specific provision for such measures in budget 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37616/06]
413 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if in the context of budget 2007, he will increase the number of qualifiers of carer’s allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37967/06]
414 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of known persons currently caring for those in need of care; the number who receive a payment; his plans to increase the number of recipients of payments in line with the total; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37968/06]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 90, 413 and 414 together.
Supporting and recognising carers in our society is and has been a priority of the Government. Weekly payment rates to carers have been greatly increased, qualifying conditions for carer's allowance have been significantly eased, coverage of the scheme has been extended and new schemes such as carer's benefit and the respite care grant have been introduced and extended.
According to the census of 2002, approximately 148,750 people provide care for someone for at least one hour per week. Of these, 48,500 people provide personal care for more than 29 hours per week or approximately four hours per day. More than 14,300 of this group are employed for more than 15 hours per week.
At present, only approximately 27,100 people are in receipt of carer's allowance. A further 1,400 people are in receipt of carer's benefit. As a result of the extension of the respite care grant to all full-time carers regardless of their means, approximately 34,000 grants are now paid, including more than 8,300 grants to people not in receipt of carer's allowance or carer's benefit. Applications for the 2005 grant continue to be received.
In line with other social assistance schemes, a means test is applied to the carer's allowance to ensure limited resources are directed. This means test has been eased significantly over the years. Following budget 2006, since April, the earnings disregard for a couple has been set at €580 per week, which is equivalent to gross average industrial earnings. This means that a couple with two children can earn up to €32,925 per annum and still receive the maximum rate of carer's allowance as well as free travel, the household benefits package and the respite care grant. In accordance with the new social partnership agreement, Towards 2016, I am committed to expanding, subject to available resources, the income limits for carer's allowance and I am aiming to keep the level of the disregard in line with average industrial earnings.
In budget 2006, I announced the largest increases in the weekly rates of payments to carers representing increases of over 17% for recipients of carer's allowances. I also increased the level of the respite care grant from €1,000 to €1,200 per year from June 2006.
Additional information not given on the floor of the House.
I have also made other improvements to the supports available to carers from my Department. From June this year, I increased the number of hours that a carer may work and still receive a carer's allowance from ten to 15 hours per week. I also extended the duration of the carer's benefit scheme from 15 months to two years. The duration of the associated carer's leave scheme has also been extended to two years.
Recommendations involving additional expenditure can only be considered in a budgetary context. However, I am always prepared to consider changes to existing arrangements where these are for the benefit of recipients and financially sustainable within the resources available to me. I will continue to bring forward proposals that recognise the valued and valuable contribution of carers in a tangible way.
Is it Government policy to maintain older people and people with disabilities in their own homes for as long as possible? To that end, does the Minister agree there are those, mainly women, who have given up their jobs to care for such people at home? Does the Minister also agree that it is most unfair that these people are not recognised or rewarded in any way because their spouse or partner has an income which puts them outside the means test levels as laid down by his Department? Does he agree that such people are providing a major service not only to those they are looking after, but also to the State? It is now time for the State to recognise the work of those people in their own right by giving them an allowance to encourage them and others to carry on this work. I take it that it is Government policy to maintain people in their own homes for as long as possible.
Since this issue was last raised in the House, what has the Minister done for young carers? Such people are looking after older relatives or siblings in their own homes. They are providing this great work but the Government has made absolutely no move to support them or even recognise the fact that they exist. Is the Minister committed to providing a national carers' strategy anytime soon?
I am committed to providing a national carers' strategy, which is one of the commitments into which the Department has entered. We have commenced that work in the Department and are setting about a consultation process with the various organisations concerned with the carers' strategy.
The Deputy has raised the issue of young carers with me many times. The reason it does not move forward is because there is no agreement on it. One must be 18 to obtain the carer's allowance and anyone below that age should not be a carer. That is my point.
But they are there.
They should be at school.
They are there anyway and they are going to school.
I know, but I have not considered introducing a payment or a support for carers under 18 because I am not yet convinced — if the Deputy can convince me, that will be fine — that it would be of help to them. We should be trying to encourage them to pursue their own careers and deal with the caring issue in another way, if that is possible.
It is not happening.
One might not be doing them any favours by instituting a payment to them, for example.
It would be good even to recognise they are there.
I know, but one might not be doing them any favours if a carer's allowance was introduced for 16 year olds.
The Minister should not ignore them.
I am just putting that point to the Deputy — I do not think one would be doing them any favours by providing a carer's allowance for 16 year olds. It is something we will probably not agree on, however.
With regard to the Deputy's first question, it is Government policy to try to keep people in their own communities and in their own homes. That is why, as I stated, carer's allowance, carer's benefit and respite care grants have been increased dramatically in recent years. I have listened carefully to the points made concerning these matters, including Deputy Penrose's recent document. Calls to remove the means test are made regularly in the House and I continue to keep an eye on it but, as of now, I am not convinced. If one has that kind of money, which is approximately €150 million, it is better to use it to improve the carer's allowance thresholds, carer's benefit and respite care grants — particularly the first two. In that way, the money would be more focused. Removing means tests brings in many people who have good means. I do not want to go there lightly with €150 million of taxpayers' money. While I will continue to have an open mind on the matter, that is my current position.
To answer the Deputy's question directly, it is Government policy to continue to keep people in their own homes and communities. We will continue to improve the lot of carers and will have that opportunity in the forthcoming budget.
As the Minister has indicated, I have a particularly strong view on this matter. I attended a carers' presentation by Ms Ann Egan and her colleagues. I left that event renewed in my determination and vigour to put this matter at the top of any political agenda. That is what the Labour Party will do. The Minister should stop pussyfooting around and abolish the means test, even though it would cost €145 million to do so. We currently have a 12 or 13-page application form for the means test, which Einstein could not complete. That is nonsense. The Minister has many people in his Department examining such forms while others travel to carry out means tests. Does the Minister realise that Ireland is the most means-tested country for social provision? In this respect, we topped the league of 15 EU countries and have not improved with the expansion to 25 member states.
The Minister is a bright accountant. Does he agree that in the 2002 census 150,000 people classified themselves as carers? The figure will probably be greater when the results of this year's census are published. If those people chose to leave their loved ones in State-run institutions, they would find there is no room, whereas private nursing homes could cost €600 per week. It would cost over €2 billion if all such people were cared for in institutions, while paying carers €180 represents a saving to the State. The Minister is now going to get away with paying €145 million or €150 million. On the basis of a cost-benefit analysis, there is no question which way the pendulum is swinging.
We owe it to carers to pay them because we have received caring on the cheap up to now. We have disgraced ourselves by not paying some and not acknowledging their contribution, while giving others 20 cent per hour for looking after people in their own homes. We call ourselves a caring society but what society would insult people in that way? What society would put people through a degrading means test to get something to which they should be automatically entitled? They should be thanked and recognised for the work they have done over the years. Their role should be acknowledged and we should pay money for such services. We wasted money on electronic voting and PPARS. We should be looking after people and not machines or other equipment.
I know the Deputy is passionate about this matter.
I am and I make no apology for it.
I have acknowledged the Deputy's passion for removing the means test for carers.
There will be no Labour Party in Government unless it is done.
Hear, hear.
I understand the Deputy's position. It is almost a role reversal because normally the Labour Party argues for a means test so that we can focus on poverty and helping those who need support.
The case is unarguable.
Normally, that is the position of the Labour Party, so I am a bit surprised——
The principle of universality applies in this case.
——the Deputy is arguing for the removal of a means test, which means people with very good means——
If that were the case, why give medical cards to people over 70?
——would be in receipt of State money.
The Deputy should allow the Minister to reply.
Dr. Smurfit is over 70 years so he can get a medical card.
Yes, but he does not need a carer's allowance as well.
He would get it if he went to the Minister.
He need not take it if he does not want it.
Does the Minister accept the figures, as presented to Members of this House by the Carers' Association, which show that while 15,000 people are in receipt of the carer's benefit, 125,000 people are involved in caring in this country? Some 50% of carers are over 60. The impediments that prevent people from obtaining carers benefits include means-testing or already being in receipt of other social welfare payments. There is a huge disparity between 125,000 carers and the 15,000 people to whom the Minister for Social and Family Affairs can currently offer support under existing rules; he may wish to comment on this.
Why did the Minister not include Question No. 162 in his answer when addressing this issue? It relates to the recent court case where a settlement was reached with a gay couple when one partner chose to give up full-time employment to care for the other. The Minister said in press statements at the time that this did not represent a precedent. There are many people in relationships in this country with partners who require full-time care. The Minister might use this opportunity to comment on the case mentioned.
I attended the funeral of a young girl with special needs this morning and the woman sitting beside me had a child suffering from the same impairment. I asked if she would go to the graveyard and she said she could not as there was nobody to look after the child. This gives a window on the circumstances facing many families acting as carers. Her husband sought to take time off work but could not and no one else in the area would look after the child. She knew the deceased child and bereaved family intimately, yet could find no support.
Census figures suggest 40,000 carers provide 43 or more hours of unpaid help per week. What will we do to help such families?
Further to the Minister's reply to Deputy Stanton's questions, is he not aware of cases throughout the country where young family members have to care for the entire family due to tragic circumstances experienced by parents? Is it not long past time to recognise their efforts and bring the limit to below 18 years of age where it is evident that the person giving the care is capable of doing so?
Can the Minister indicate to the House, in anticipation of the budget, the extent to which he has costed the expense of providing payment to all carers throughout the country? If he has not done this, why not?
The Deputy is asking for the cost using the means test, which is in the region of €150 million. I am open to suggestions but, at the moment, I am not in favour of paying carer's allowance to 14, 15 and 16 year olds.
What about 17 year olds?
They should be at school.
Deputy Crowe has raised a specific case and there is a respite care grant in existence to give carers time off. However, if an emergency arises I can see that arranging such cover in time could be a problem and one may be at the mercy of neighbours.
All Deputies have the figures relating to this issue as they have been given to the House on many occasions. At present the law states one must be a full-time carer with an allowance for up to 15 hours of outside work. According to the census, 84,000 carers of the 150,000 mentioned offer care for up to two hours per day and a further 16,000 offer care for under four hours per day. This means 100,000 of the 150,000 carers referred to give care for under four hours per day. One can argue that those giving four hours care per day should receive carer's allowance but we have not gone in that direction; we have dealt with full-time care issues. Some 7,957 people give care for over four hours and under six hours per day and 40,000 give care for over six hours per day. As the Deputy knows, we currently pay carer's allowance to 27,000 people at an estimated expense, this year, of €281 million.
Written Answers follow Adjournment Debate.
