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Dáil
‹ Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation

Family carers pension solution

Summary

Deputy Kerrane calls for a pension solution for family carers in the next budget, citing a long-delayed programme commitment and pension commission recommendations. The Minister says it should be considered in the budget process as part of wider fiscal balancing and partnership planning.

We are out of time but we have two remaining Deputies present. Deputy Kerrane has 30 seconds.

Comment on this

There is a commitment in the programme for Government to develop a pension solution for family carers. That commitment is now nearly two years old. The Report of the Commission on Pensions, which was published seven months ago and on which we still await the Government's response, made a number of recommendations for family carers.

Can a commitment be made to ensure that this pension solution for family carers is brought about in the next budget? They have waited long enough. Family carers deserve a full State pension; they deserve no less. They have waited a very long time. This must be done in the next budget.

Comment on this

I have received many queries from Irish people who are returning home to live from parts of Canada and the US and whose driving licences are non-exchangeable. We understand the biggest difficulties facing Irish citizens returning home are the cost of car insurance and applying for a driving licence.

While I welcome the announcement to authorise the exchange of Ukrainian driving licences for Irish driving licences, and it is great to see the National Driver Licence Service, NDLS, gearing up to accept applications for licence exchange from Ukrainian refugees, it is crucially important that the Minister's Department also reviews current procedures for Irish residents holding full licences that were issued in the US and parts of Canada and that we implement a similar exchange system in order that it is easier for them to return to Irish roads.

Comment on this

Deputy Kerrane's question is similar to the question Deputy Harkin asked earlier in terms of carers. It is appropriate in the run up to the budget process for us to look at whether such a carer's pension arrangement could be included. I would support it but I think it has to be part of a wider balancing of the income and receipts measures. We will have to work on a strong partnership approach as we go into next year's budget because it will be a challenging time. I encourage the Deputy and various Oireachtas committees, including the Committee on Budgetary Oversight, the Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach, the Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and others to make the case, and I hope it is heard.

I will follow up for Deputy Dillon in terms of the provisions that will allow us to accelerate and ease the cost for those people coming from Canada and the US to be able to swap their licences. It makes no sense for us to put blatant bureaucratic hurdles in the way of people we welcome into our country, be they displaced Ukrainian people, Irish citizens or others coming from the US and Canada. I will ask my Department to follow up and contact the Deputy to look at the details of that.

Comment on this