Nolan calls on Government to abolish means test for carers
Independent TD for Offaly Carol Nolan has strongly urged Government to definitively commit to an escalated delivery of its promise to abolish the means test for the Carers Allowance.
Presently, the Programme for Government only states that it has a “view” to phasing out the means test during the lifetime of the current administration.
Deputy Nolan was speaking after she submitted a parliamentary question on the matter to the Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary.
The Independent TD specifically asked the minister for an update on any proposals that are being considered with respect to abolishing the means test for carers who save the State an estimated €20 billion annually.
“Governments for at least the last decade have been making soothing sounds about respect for carers but when it comes to the abolition of the means test, which is recognised by everyone who deals with these issues on a daily basis as inherently unfair, then we are not seeing anything like the kind of commitment or delivery that we need.
“I accept that the Programme for Government commits to a phased abolition. However, this is highly ambiguous wording and it offers no real certainty to the hundreds of thousands of carers out there who save the state tens of billions each year for an expenditure on the Government side that last year alone was estimated to be approximately €1.7billion when you include carer's allowance, carer's benefit, domiciliary care allowance, and the carer's support grant. That seems like a very unequal trade to me.
“We also know from information placed before the Dáil last year that Carer’s Allowance is the only social welfare payment where recipients are expected to provide full-time work (minimum 35 hrs) and in return receive just €18 more than the basic social welfare rate.
“Government must bite the bullet, stop the dithering, and abolish the means test. In the interim it must listen to Family Carers Ireland and increase Carer’s Allowance income disregard to €1,500 (couples) and €750 (single carers),” Deputy Nolan said.