Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 January 2026
1567. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the rules governing carer’s allowance and carer’s benefit in cases where a full-time carer is providing care to three dependants, given that the current system provides no additional payment for the third person despite the significant extra workload involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1383/26]
View answerCarer's Allowance is made up of a personal rate for the carer and extra amounts for child dependants. If, however, the carer is providing full-time care and attention to more than one person, the rate of Carer's Allowance payable is increased by 50% of the standard personal rate.
Budget 2026 increased the personal rate of Carer's Allowance by €10 per week from this month, bringing the weekly maximum personal rate for a recipient caring for one person to €270 per week for a carer under age 66 and €308 for a carer aged 66 or over. A recipient caring for more than one person and in receipt of the maximum rate will now receive a personal rate of €405 per week if aged under 66 or €462 per week if aged 66 or over.
Similarly, the weekly non-means tested, social insurance based Carer's Benefit payment is made up of a personal rate which is enhanced where care is provided to more than one person with additional amounts in respect of dependent children. Carer's Benefit is payable for up to 104 weeks in respect of each care recipient. As a result of Budget 2026, from this month, the weekly personal rate of payment has increased to €271 where a person is caring for one person and €406.50 where two or more people are being cared for.
The non-means-tested annual Carer's Support Grant is available for all full-time carers whether or not they receive a weekly carers’ payment from my department. A separate grant is paid for each person being cared for. The grant increased by €150 in 2025 to €2,000 - its highest ever level.
Domiciliary Care Allowance is payable to a parent/guardian in respect of a child aged under 16 who has a severe disability and requires continual or continuous care and attention substantially over and above the care and attention usually required by a child of the same age. The child must be likely to require this level of care and attention for at least 12 consecutive months. Where a person is caring for more than one child who qualifies for Domiciliary Care Allowance, they may claim the monthly allowance of €380 for each child. Just this month this payment increased by €20 as part of Budget 2026 measures. There is no restriction on the number of children for whom a person may claim Domiciliary Care Allowance.
The Programme for Government contains a number of commitments to improve the supports available to family carers. These include commitments to progressively increase weekly carer payments, to continue raising the Carer’s Support Grant and to examine how carers who provide full-time care and attention to more than one person can be better supported.
I trust that this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.
