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Social Welfare Benefits.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 June 2004

Tuesday, 15 June 2004

Questions (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

88 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs her proposals to improve or extend the availability of the carer’s allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17698/04]

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Paul Kehoe

Question:

100 Mr. Kehoe asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she plans to give recognition to the vital work full-time family carers provide to this State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17649/04]

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Seymour Crawford

Question:

105 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will relax the means test for carer’s allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17650/04]

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Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Question:

107 Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when she will implement the programme for Government commitment to expand the income limits for the carer’s allowance in order that all persons on average industrial incomes can qualify. [17540/04]

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Seán Haughey

Question:

604 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she has plans to abolish the means test for the carer’s allowance; if she will substantially increase the income disregards to allow more persons qualify for this benefit; her views on whether this would reduce the cost to the State of nursing home care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17736/04]

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Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

614 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will evaluate the total number of cases whereby carers are providing a service but do not qualify for carer’s allowance with a view to extending and improving the scheme to enable more persons qualify; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17881/04]

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Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

615 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if her attention has been drawn to the moneys saved to the Exchequer by numerous carers who do not currently receive a payment with a view to acknowledging such contribution by way of recompense; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17882/04]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 88, 100, 105, 107, 604, 614 and 615 together.

Supporting carers in our society has been a priority of the Government since 1997. Over that period 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 introduced.

The Central Statistics Office, CSO, included a question in the 2002 census to identify the number of persons providing unpaid personal care for a friend or family member with a long-term illness, health problem or disability. The analysis of this portion of the census found that: 40,500 people provide 43 hours or more unpaid personal help per week, or more than six hours per day; 23,400 people provide 15 to 42 hours unpaid personal help per week, or between two and six hours per day; and 84,900 people provide one to 14 hours unpaid personal help per week, or up to two hours per day.

There are currently approximately 22,000 carers in receipt of carer's allowance or carer's benefit. This means that more than 50% of the 40,500 carers, as estimated by the CSO to be caring for more than six hours per day, are in receipt of a specific carer's payment from the Department of Social and Family Affairs. However, people providing lower levels of care would not necessarily meet all the qualifying conditions for receipt of a carer's allowance.

The primary objective of the carer's allowance is to provide income support to low income carers. In line with other social assistance schemes, the means test is applied to the carer's allowance so as to ensure that limited resources are directed to those in greatest need. The means test applied to the allowance has been eased significantly in the past few years, most notably with the introduction of disregards of spouses' earnings.

In April 2004 the weekly income disregards increased to €250 for a single carer and to €500 for a couple. The effect of this increase will, for example, ensure that a couple with two children, earning a joint annual income of up to €29,328 can qualify for the maximum rate of carer's allowance, while the same couple, if they had an income of €46,384 could still qualify for the minimum carer's allowance, the free schemes and the respite care grant.

As average industrial earnings in December 2003 were approximately €29,100 per annum, good progress is being made towards the commitment in the Programme for Government that all persons on average industrial earnings will be able to qualify for the carer's allowance. The complete abolition of the means test would have substantial cost implications. It is estimated that abolition of the means test could cost in the region of €180 million per annum. It is debatable whether this could be considered to be the best use of resources. The views of some support and health organisations is that if resources of this scale were available, it would be more beneficial to carers to invest in the type of community care services which would support them in their caring role, such as additional respite care facilities, more home helps, public health nurses and other such services.

While matters relating to the nursing home subvention are the responsibility of the Minister for Health and Children, I will say that, while the abolition of the carer's allowance means test might have some impact on recourse to the nursing home subvention, it would not reduce the overall cost of care. Research suggests that community care can be as costly, if not more so, than institutional care where a proper and adequate range of community services are provided. 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. The development of the range of supports for carers will continue to be a priority for this Government and, building on the foundations now in place, we will continue to develop the types of services which recognise the value of the caring ethos and which provide real support and practical assistance to the people involved.

Question No. 89 answered with QuestionNo. 83.
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