348. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Social Protection to consider making changes (details supplied) to the carer’s benefit payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48721/26]

The Government recognises the vital role that family carers play and remains committed to supporting them, as reflected in the Programme for Government.

Carer's Benefit is a payment made by my Department to insured people who leave the workforce or reduce their hours to care for someone in need of full-time care. It is payable for a maximum period of 104 weeks for each person being cared for. 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.

Carer’s Allowance is a means-tested payment, and the legislation provides for a 12-week continuation period after the person being cared for has been permanently admitted to long-term residential care. This reflects the fact that Carer’s Allowance is an income-support payment for people providing full-time care where caring is expected to last for at least a year.

Unlike Carer's Allowance, a person may qualify for Carer’s Benefit for a period of six weeks for example, and the care need does not have to be long-term in nature. Once the person being cared for enters long-term residential care, the qualifying condition of providing care is no longer met. Extending Carer’s Benefit would be a significant policy change and would need to be considered in an overall budgetary and carer policy context having regard to the sustainability of the Social Insurance Fund and it's impact on employers.