Jim O'Keeffe
Question:300 Mr. J. O’Keeffe asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if a person (details supplied) in County Cork is entitled to a respite care grant, or part thereof, in respect of their late spouse. [18423/06]
View answerTuesday, 16 May 2006
Questions (246)
Written answers
The Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2005, inter alia, extended entitlement to the Respite Care Grant to all carers irrespective of means or contribution record, but subject to certain conditions relating to employment and to a medical report. The person to whom the Deputy refers made a successful application for the Grant in 2005 and payment was made to her in August 2005. Unfortunately, her husband, for whom she had been providing care, passed away on 2 May 2006. This means she will not be eligible for the Grant again in 2006 as she will not have been providing care on the first Thursday in June, the date, laid down by regulation as that on which she would have needed to have been providing it.