Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 April 2024
23. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on her examination of the issues facing kinship carers who receive nominal contributions from birth parents and who may then be prevented from receiving guardianship allowance. [18470/24]
View answerMy Department is committed to supporting kinship carers in the valuable role they play in our society.A Guardians payment is made to a person caring for a child who satisfies the definition of an “orphan” under social welfare legislation. A child is considered an orphan if they are under 18 (or 22 if in full time education) and both parents are deceased; or one parent is either dead or unknown or has abandoned and failed to provide for the child and the other parent is unknown or has abandoned and failed to provide for the child. The Deputy has requested an update on three applications for the Guardians (contributory) payment. I can confirm that one application was awarded with effect from 29 December 2023. The other two applications are being reviewed. On completion of the review, the persons concerned will be notified of the outcome.Any financial support provided by the parent, including maintenance must be considered when looking at the circumstances of these cases in their entirety. However, I can confirm for the Deputy that a birthday present or occasional pocket money would not constitute providing for a child and would not be considered grounds for disallowance on its own. While the maintenance paid in respect of the children is not assessed as means, the extent of the parents’ commitment to their child’s well-being through the provision of regular financial support is considered when determining if the parent has abandoned and failed to provide for the child.I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
