Social Welfare Payments
Dail Éireann — 2026-01-15
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Dara Calleary (FF), Mayo

We absolutely agree with the Deputy on the role of carers and the role of family carers. That is why we have made changes and made such commitments in terms of the means test. It is also why the exception in relation to the half-rate of carer's allowance is made. Those in receipt of the half-rate are the only cohort for whom that exception is made. We have a programme for Government commitment to better support parents aged 66 or over who are caring for children with lifelong disabilities, and I will advance that commitment over the lifetime of the Government. As I said to the Deputy, at the end of December last there were 49,234 recipients of the half-rate of carer's allowance and, of those, just over 15,000 were receiving a State pension. We will continue to progress that commitment in relation to those aged 66 or over and we will continue to engage with the Deputy on that commitment.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-01-15/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:30+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-01-15