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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 9 May 1995

Vol. 452 No. 5

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.

Rory O'Hanlon

Ceist:

13 Dr. O'Hanlon asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will extend the carer's allowance to include persons who care for totally incapacitated patients and are excluded on means. [8271/95]

Mary Wallace

Ceist:

17 Miss M. Wallace asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will consider waiving the means test in relation to the carer's allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8237/95]

Mary Wallace

Ceist:

26 Miss M. Wallace asked the Minister for Social Welfare if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there are 100,000 carers in Ireland, 30,000 of whom are providing care in the home on a seven day week, 24 hour basis, and to the fact that his Department is paying carer's allowance to only 4,500 of these carers; the plans, if any, he has to expand the carer's allowance to cover the remaining 25,500 people who provide care on a full-time basis; his views on whether many of these people are currently in receipt of unemployment assistance or supplementary welfare allowance and on whether the cost to the State in paying them under the correct heading of carer's allowance may be in the region of £20 million over existing social welfare payments; and if his Department will consider a planned approach to extending this scheme to cover these people who are providing an invaluable service to the community. [4234/95]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 13, 17 and 26 together.

The purpose of the carer's allowance is to provide an income maintenance payment to people who are providing elderly or incapacitated pensioners with full-time care and attention and whose income falls below certain limits. I share with the rest of the community a deep appreciation of the vital role played by people who devote their lives to the care of others. I agree that there is potential for further development of this important scheme in line with that objective and as financial resources permit.

I am pleased to have been able in this year's budget to continue the work undertaken by previous Governments in progressively improving the carer's allowance. This year, the allowance is being extended to include carers of incapacitated pensioners over 66 who are not in receipt of a social welfare pension, for example, those getting an occupational pension. Furthermore, the means test is being significantly eased through an increase from £100 to £150 a week in the amount to be disregarded in respect of working spouses and the application of that disregard to income from all sources. In addition, a free travel companion pass is being provided which may be used by the carer or by another companion which can assist the carer in taking a break. These improvements will cost £1.9 million this year and will bring total spending on the carer's allowance in 1995 to over £20 million.
I am aware of the statistics quoted by Deputy Wallace in relation to the total number of people in Ireland estimated to be providing some form of care on a daily basis. The carer's association estimate there are 30,000 in need of full time care. Of the 15,647 applications received since the allowance was introduced in 1990, 5,684 were in payment at the end of March 1995, 3,371 had ceased payment mainly due to the death of the pensioner and 5,532 were refused because they failed to satisfy the conditions of the scheme. Of those refused, 32 per cent were actually qualified but better off on their present social welfare payment, 28 per cent had means in excess of the limit, and the balance failed for a variety of other reasons.
The carer's allowance, like the other payments mentioned, is subject to the relevant legislation and any person who considers they may have an entitlement should apply to my Department accordingly. A carer who is looking after an elderly or incapacitated person on a full-time basis could not qualify for unemployment assistance as they would not satisfy the conditions requiring them to be,inter-alia, available for work. Some carers may be in receipt of supplementary welfare allowance because they do not satisfy the conditions for receipt of carer's allowance and would, otherwise, be in need (for example, a carer not resident with the person being cared for).
The question of further easing of the means test for carer's allowance would be a matter for consideration in a budgetary context and in the light of available resources. Similarly, any proposals to remove the means test altogether would have significant cost implications and would also have to be examined in the light of the scheme's overall objectives.
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