Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 February 2014
287. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who are in receipt of carer's allowance who are not immediate family members; her plans to have those in receipt of the allowance Garda vetted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6299/14]
View answerCarers’ benefit and carers’ allowance are income supports not commercial considerations, payable to people who provide full-time care. The Department does not collect or collate information on the relationship of the carer to the person requiring care, therefore such information is not available. Where there is a commercial consideration and the carer is an employee, the responsibility for arranging Garda vetting rests with the employer or employing agency. I have no plans to introduce Garda vetting in respect of carers’ allowance recipients.
