79. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider a review of the minimum 16 hours required weekly worked hours to qualify for carer’s benefit for teachers who are not on full time hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46264/26]

Carer's Benefit is a payment made by my Department to insured people who leave the workforce to care for someone in need of full-time care and attention. It is payable for a maximum period of 104 weeks for each person being cared for. It is an income support paid directly to the carer who, due to their full-time caring responsibilities are in need of such income support.

There are currently 4,900 people in receipt of Carer's Benefit and expenditure on the scheme is estimated to exceed €76 million this year.

To qualify, a person must meet the PRSI and other statutory conditions of the scheme including a requirement to have been in insurable employment for at least 16 hours per week or 32 hours per fortnight. This condition is set out at section 100(5) of the Social Welfare Act 2005, as amended.

Contracted hours are a matter between an employer and employee.

In cases where a person does not meet the qualifying conditions for Carer's Benefit, they may instead qualify for the means-tested Carer’s Allowance. From July, the income disregards will increase significantly to €1,000 for a single carer and €2,000 for a couple. These improvements mean that, for example, a carer in a two-adult household with an income of approximately €110,000 will still retain their full carers payment and even with an income of €138,000 will retain a partial payment.

Any proposal to decrease the eligibility hours for Carer’s Benefit would have to be considered in an overall budgetary and carer policy context and having regard to the sustainability of the Social Insurance Fund.