Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 22 May 1996

Vol. 465 No. 7

Written Answers. - Carer's Allowance.

Pat Gallagher

Ceist:

106 Mr. Gallagher (Laoighis-Offaly) asked the Minister for Social Welfare in view of his extension of the eligibility for a carers allowance to carers of persons who have occupational pensions and who are aged over 66 years, if he will review the situation in respect of similar persons aged under 66 years, who are out of work due to long-term illness and on a pension from their former employer, for example, a person caring for a retired employee of the ESB who has left work on grounds of illness. [10562/96]

Minister for Social Welfare (Proinsias De Rossa)

The carer's allowance was extended last year to include carers looking after people aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of a pension other than a social welfare pension e.g. those getting an occupational pension. Arising from this measure, about 1,000 new carers were brought into the scheme.

The question of further extending the scheme to include people caring for those aged under 66 years who are retired on illness grounds would have cost implications which would have to be examined in a budgetary context and in the light of available resources.