Holly Cairns
Ceist:1169. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps he is taking to increase the pension entitlements of full-time family carers. [43916/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 8 September 2022
Ceisteanna (1169)
Freagraí scríofa
This Government acknowledges the important role that carers play and is fully committed to supporting them in that role. The Deputy will be aware that the current State Pension (Contributory) system includes a range of measures including PRSI Credits, Homemaking Disregards and HomeCaring Periods to recognise caring periods (of up to 20 years) outside of paid employment in the calculation of a pension payment.
The Programme for Government “Our Shared Future” includes a commitment to examine options for a pension solution for carers, the majority of whom are women, particularly those of incapacitated children, in recognition of the enormous value of the work carried out by them. The Pensions Commission was established in November 2020 to examine the sustainability of the State Pension system and the Social Insurance Fund. The Commission’s terms of reference included consideration of how people who have provided long-term care for incapacitated dependants can be accommodated within the State Pension system.
The Pensions Commission’s Report was published on 7th October 2021. It established that the current State Pension system is not sustainable into the future and that changes are needed. The report set out a wide range of recommendations, including enhanced pension provision for long-term carers (defined as caring for more than 20 years). It recommended that long-term carers should be given access to the State Pension (Contributory) by having retrospective contributions paid for them by the Exchequer for any gaps in their contribution history arising from that caring. The Commission also recommended that relevant Departments should examine, in conjunction with relevant stakeholders, options for the creation of a statutory "Family Carer Register" which could, in time, facilitate the identification of long-term carers for State Pension (Contributory) purposes as well as assisting in the planning and delivery of services for family carers.
In the interests both of older people and future generations of older people, the far-reaching recommendations in the Pensions Commission’s Report are being considered very carefully. My officials are examining each of the recommendations, including those related to long-term carers and I am consulting across Government through the Cabinet Committee system. The views of the Joint Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands and the Commission on Taxation and Welfare also form part of these deliberations. Once we have considered all of these matters in detail, I intend bringing a recommended response and implementation plan to Government.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.