Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 6 July 2023
110. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration will be given to extending the number of home-caring periods a foster carer can accrue throughout the years they foster in order for them to be able to claim a State pension (contributory); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33074/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraHas the Minister given any consideration to extending the number of home caring periods a foster carer can accrue throughout the year as he or she fosters in order to be able to claim a contributory State pension? We all know of the great contribution made by foster carers who take children, who sometimes are coming from incredibly difficult situations, into their homes. I had an interaction with the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth regarding certain other conditions that need improving but this is work we can definitely do to facilitate these carers. It is absolutely necessary.
I thank the Deputy for the question. Matters relating to foster caring are the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, and of Tusla.
This Government acknowledges the important role played by carers, including foster carers, and is fully committed to supporting them in that role. Accordingly, the current contributory State pension system provides measures including PRSI credits, homemaking disregards and home caring periods to recognise caring periods of up to 20 years outside of paid employment in the calculation of a payment rate. Foster carers are entitled to the benefits of the homemakers scheme or home caring periods, and will qualify if the carer is in receipt of child benefit. If the foster carer is not in receipt of child benefit, they can still qualify for homemaker’s scheme or home caring periods provided the caring periods are confirmed by Tusla.
Despite these measures, some long-term carers of incapacitated dependents may still face barriers in accessing the contributory State pension. For example, they may have difficulty establishing the minimum number of ten years of paid contributions. The Minister, Deputy Humphreys, announced a series of landmark reforms to the State pension system in September 2022, in response to the recommendations of the Commission on Pensions. An important reform agreed by the Government is enhanced State pension provision for people who have been caring for incapacitated dependants for more than 20 years. It will do this by attributing the equivalent of a paid contribution to long-term carers to cover gaps in their contribution records. Foster carers who have cared for an incapacitated dependant or dependants for more than 20 years will also benefit from this important change. My officials are currently working to implement these reforms.
I welcome what the Minister of State has said. We need this enacted as soon as possible. When I dealt earlier with the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, it was particularly in relation to the foster carer allowance, which has not been increased since 2009. It related to the travel expenses, and there is obviously an onus on foster carers to maintain that connection with families. We all know the added expense in the current period. It seems that promises are being made relating to delivery on these, and what I hear from the Minister of State's response is that we are moving in the correct direction. I say the sooner the better for the huge contribution provided by foster carers. Faster, quicker, better is the easiest way I can put it.
I thank the Chair for allowing me in. I want to speak on this subject. I welcome what has been said, and I hope it means foster carers will be eligible for pensions after this. It needs to happen as soon as possible. I met a group of foster carers in County Mayo on Monday, and what they told me was quite shocking, particularly with regard to foster carers looking after children with complex needs. They do not want to have to give up on those children, but they are fighting to try to get the different services and supports for them and it is driving their families into poverty. This is the case in particular where the natural parents live miles away. If the foster carers live in County Mayo and the original parents live in County Limerick or County Dublin, or wherever, the foster carers also have to bear the cost of that travel. There are several issues there, because we do not want to be in a situation where we end up with a limited number of foster carers. I am concerned about the number of foster carers who are about to give up on foster care. I commend them on the job they do.
I should allow the Minister of State to respond. That would be fair.
I reiterate and back up what has been said about the important role played by foster carers, and also the difficult job they have at times, often with challenging young people. I have some familiarity with the system. A lot of what is being spoken about will go to the main Department with primary responsibility for foster carers' support. It is important to reiterate that between child benefit, the homemakers scheme, home caring periods and the new development for incapacitated dependants, this Department is doing what it can to ensure foster carers are able to accumulate PRSI contributions now, in order that they are looked after in the future when it comes to pensions. It is also worth noting when it comes to the number of children in care in the country that Ireland is one of the lead countries in the world when it comes to the percentage of children in foster families. That is a good thing. We need to do everything we can to maintain that percentage, and grow it too.
I welcome what the Minister of State has said. It is an acceptance that we do not have enough foster carers. We need a lot more, so we need to deal with all of these issues. I accept that the Minister of State's Department deals with a particular part of this, but the main play is with the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. I assume all of the necessary conversations are happening. We know there have been particular issues over the years relating to the length of time for payment of child benefit, the back to school allowance and other issues. Dealing with this pension issue is vital, alongside the real business end, from our point of view, that needs to be delivered as regards the allowance, travel expenses and all of that. Will the Minister of State give a timeline as to when the changes from the Commission on Pensions will be enacted? That is when the rubber will hit the road, because that would be vital.
There is a lot happening in the pensions place in terms of auto-enrolment. There are a lot of big projects going on too. We are looking at legislation for that, and it could be next year before we see a lot of the big changes. That is a broad response to the specific question asked by the Deputy. Between child benefit, the homemakers scheme, the home caring periods and this new measure, I would be hopeful that all foster carers will be covered in terms of PRSI contributions. If that is not the case, it is important that we hear about it in terms of our responsibility. I suppose I also have the advantage of having a foot in the other Department the Deputy has referred to. I will certainly speak to the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, about this issue too.
I think the key to all of this is that the Departments interlink and work together to look at these families in a holistic manner. Some of the foster parents I have spoken to are being forced to go back to work, because there are gaps in their payments that will not ensure them a pension in the future. If it can be brought together in a holistic manner, that would be good.
The Deputy got an extra shot at it there, but the point is well made. I absolutely take the point.
