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1217. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason persons receiving a pension are only offered a half-rate carer’s allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59149/25]

457. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of local authorities that consider carers allowance payments as income and include it in the calculation for social housing rent reviews; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56558/25]

520. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Social Protection the current status of a carer’s allowance application (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56839/25]

524. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if carers allowance will be approved immediately for a person (details supplied). [56924/25]

531. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if a carer's allowance application will be approved and backdated as soon as possible (details supplied). [57222/25]

534. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a carer's allowance claim by a person (details supplied); the options available to them to resume payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57320/25]

261. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to review the guidelines for carer's allowance (that is, needing partial care rather than full care); if his Department plans to undertake a review of the guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56106/25]

265. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider including verified disability-related expenses and private care costs as allowable deductions when assessing means for carer’s allowance; given the reality of many families not being able to access public healthcare supports due to significant delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56297/25]

266. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the phasing out of the carers allowance means test, as committed to in the Programme for Government; if there is a timeline for this commitment to be met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56298/25]

267. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection in relation to the income thresholds for carers allowance; if will he consider introducing a model similar to the Disability Tax Credit approach, where disability-related costs are acknowledged as reducing disposable income, thereby adjusting eligibility thresholds accordingly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56299/25]

269. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the engagement that he has had with advocacy groups (details supplied) regarding the practical impact of the income disregard limits and proposed reforms, in relation to the income thresholds for carers allowance, the feedback he received, the way in which it is being incorporated into policy development; and if he will make a stateme…

214. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated additional number of recipients that will qualify for the carer's allowance after the income disregards increase in July 2026. [55669/25]

215. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated first year cost of Budget 2026 measures to increase the income disregards for carer's allowance which was provided on page 146 of the Expenditure Report 2025; when the Budget 2026 measure to increase the income disregards was announced. [55670/25]

229. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person in receipt of carers allowance and is working 18.5 hours is paid by their employer for their break times and are included as working hours; the measures her Department uses to ensure that the person is not subject to repayments or review when not physically working during their lunch break. [55877/25]

654. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will re-examine an application made for carer’s allowance (details supplied) in respect of backdating; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54577/25]

335. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the increase in income disregards carer's allowance as committed to in the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52972/25]

336. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection his views on the merits of eliminating the means test for the carer's allowance; the research his Department has carried out into this proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52973/25]

346. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection to expedite a carer's allowance application for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53162/25]

348. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection to consider increasing the number of hours an applicant can work, and retain payment on carers allowance, from 18.5, to help those who are providing full-time care on lower incomes and lower hourly pay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53195/25]

349. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will abolish the means test assessment requirement for carers allowance in Budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53196/25]

367. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection if the case will be reviewed of a person (details supplied) who has appealed a decision on carer’s allowance; if consideration can be given to expediting this appeal, given the person’s urgent financial circumstances and caring responsibilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53305/25]

369. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of years it will take before he will be in a position to abolish the means test for carer's allowance. [53384/25]

373. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applicants for carers allowance; the number rejected; and the number of those rejected who were successful on reapplication, in tabular form. [53549/25]

376. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for carer's allowance in 2024 and 2025 to date; the number of applications that were awarded in 2024 and 2025 to date; the number that were refused, and number that were refused but then awarded on appeal, in 2024 and 2025 to date. [53686/25]

381. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware that section 179(4) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005's criteria for when a relevant person shall be regarded as requiring full-time care and attention precludes many carers of neurodivergent people; if he is aware that this passage does not acknowledge the essential needs specific to neurodivergent peop…

We did that a number of years ago and the finality of it will be this September. Every school now has free school meals. These were things that, up to three years ago, were not on the agenda and Sinn Féin ignores that. We have improved the situation regarding carer's allowance. What we intend to do in the next budget is to mainstream provisions that will help people to deal with what is a high-co…

I appreciate the Deputy's questions. We are under no illusions about the impact of the cost of living on families and people. The reality is there was an excessive inflationary spiral coming out of Covid and as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the consequential increase in energy prices. That did impact and that is why there were exceptional once-off cost-of-living packages in addit…

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I want to acknowledge at the outset, because it is true, that people in this country are still finding the cost of living a very significant issue. I know that, the Deputy knows that and there is not a TD in Dáil Éireann who is not aware of that in their own community and from their own constituency work. I want to be clear the Government is taking action…

The Deputy is accusing me of saying things that I never said. Nobody suggested here that anyone is patting themselves on the back. What I did for the people watching at home was push back against the Deputy's misinformation and disinformation that the Government is not taking action on the cost of living. People know the record of this Government in helping them through the past number of years. T…

This is where there is a difference of opinion. The Minister has eloquently outlined why we are not going to tax one group but, rather, will tax another group instead. In fairness, the local property tax will affect everybody. Everybody will pay more in tax this year, but the guy who has a pension pot of €2.5 million can afford the extra bit in local property tax. That is the difference. Take the …

89. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department will conduct a review of the delays relating to the awarding of disability and carer’s allowance, particularly in light of delays of up to five months that have occurred in County Laois; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33295/25]

My question relates to the delays around reviews of decisions relating to disability and carer's allowance. Currently, people are waiting a long time. This matter needs to be addressed. I hope the Department is going to take action on it.

The reason I raise this is because people find themselves out of work through no fault of their own because of a disability or they have to give up work to care for a loved one and may have to put in a claim for carer's allowance. These are genuine cases. I understand that it is complex. I understand that there are a number of different aspects in terms of judging whether people are eligible or no…

90. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on plans to abolish the means test for the carer’s allowance, given the strong support for this in the programme for Government; to confirm if it will be included in budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32829/25]

As the Minister stated, more than 100,000 people are in receipt of carer's allowance. There are 500,000 carers, however, which means that 400,000 people are not getting benefits under the scheme. Will the Minister increase the disregard in the forthcoming budget? The means test hits families who are doing their best, often one-parent families or where a parent is working part time and might have s…

Carers are saving the State billions of euro. The highest figure we have seen for the amount involved is €3 billion. In any event, the savings being made are enormous. People provide care for children with complex needs, older people and family members with serious illnesses. They do so out of love and with very little support from the State. While the increases to income disregards are welcome, …

I thank Deputy Carrigy for his question. Continuing from where we finished with Deputy Dempsey, there were 14,791 control reviews in 2024, which is quite small in the overall carer's allowance paid out but it is a balance that has to be reached. On Deputy Carrigy's question, means tests are a central part of any social protection system to ensure that resources which are limited are targeted at th…

98. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on plans to abolish the carers allowance means test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32278/25]

Older people, indeed, all of our vulnerable citizens, deserve to be treated with dignity and afforded the highest quality of care and the services that they need. What we saw, though, in the revelations in the "RTÉ Investigates" programme was appalling, showing shocking abuse and serious failures and neglect. I can only imagine how upsetting it was for the families of the people who were revealed …

Without carers, especially family carers, the burden on the State would be far greater. Over the years we have heard stories of people being placed inappropriately in geriatric wards or people who need more intensive care being sent home early because of insufficient spaces. Carers play a valuable role and unless we totally change our definition of what constitutes society in Ireland, it will neve…

Carers and front-line healthcare workers are the backbone of our care system, enabling people with high-care needs to live with dignity at home. Home care workers and family carers bring significant improvements to people’s health and well-being, reduce pressure on hospitals and deliver enormous savings for the health service but we know that many vulnerable people are not receiving the level of c…

I support the motion. In my constituency of Tipperary and across the nation, family carers are the unsung heroes who provide unwavering support to their loved ones, which often requires great personal and financial sacrifice. These carers, numbering more than 500,000, save the State an estimated €20 billion annually - imagine that figure - through their unpaid labour yet many are subjected to a me…

I thank everyone for the opportunity to address the House on the issue raised by the Deputies who tabled this motion. I begin by echoing the opening remarks of my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, and thank the Deputies for their constructive and positive contributions to this important motion on the issue of fair and sustainable funding for carers, home support and nursing home …

I appreciate the Minister of State saying the motion is not being opposed, but is the Government going to deliver? That is the question here, and it is a huge question. Since I came here in 2016, that has been the case - non-delivery for home care services. I thank John Campbell and Mark Nolan for helping us put this motion together. This motion is about people. It is about the backbone of carers.…

I agree with Deputy John Connolly. We always need to keep education in its broadest sense in mind. Fundamentally, it is about ensuring people can reach their full potential regardless of the area. Notwithstanding that, it remains a strategic consideration for any Government, particularly in the current context. Regarding Ireland's competitiveness, it is crucial that we ensure that Ireland continue…

85. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the commitment in the programme for Government to increase the income disregards for carer’s allowance in each budget, with a view to phasing out the means test during the lifetime of the Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22000/25]

During the general election campaign, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael promised to abolish the means test for the carer's allowance. The programme for Government contains a commitment to phasing out the means test during the lifetime of the Government. Will the Minister tell us in which budget the means test will be abolished?

The commitment has to be looked at in light of the improvements that have been made in recent years, which I am determined to continue. In the context of the Deputy's final remarks, the long-term carer's contribution scheme was introduced in January 2024. Under this scheme, a person who has been a full-time carer - and yes, the Deputy is right that they are predominantly women - for an incapacitat…

89. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection the transitional supports being put in place for the 380 people whose one-parent family payment and half-rate carer’s allowance are both due to end this year; and whether he accepts that the sudden loss of these payments risks plunging vulnerable families into financial hardship and uncertainty. [21009/25]

I welcome the Minister's comments on the nutritional review of the school meals programme. I acknowledge and commend the great work of the companies right across the country, including in Mayo, in delivering school meals. Companies like Steak Out catering, for example, are delivering high-quality nutritional meals to hundreds of children across east and south Mayo, in particular. My question conc…