Clear case for abolishing carer’s allowance means test
Clear case for abolishing carer’s allowance means test - The Labour Party
- Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) cites estimated cost of €259mn
- Govt running out of excuses
Labour’s social protection spokesperson Mark Wall TD said it is beyond time to abolish the means test for carer’s allowance following new estimates published by the PBO.
Deputy Wall said rather than coming up with excuses, it’s time for Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil to fully support families, value care and reverse the privatisation of social care.
Deputy Wall said:
“Real change is needed for the over 500,000 family carers in Ireland whose unpaid work saves the State over €20 billion a year. The estimates provided by the PBO show that abolishing the means test would cost an estimated €259million – a far cry from the €600million Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil continue to try to hide behind.
“This is the same Government that happily handed out an over €600million untargeted VAT cut for the likes of McDonald’s and other fast food chains who are making millions.
“Unlike this Government, the Labour Party values the enormous work of carers across the country. In our alternative budget, and in our 2024 General Election manifesto, we made a commitment to get rid of the means test once and for all. One of the biggest issues I see in my office is those that do not qualify for carers allowance, despite carrying out enormous caring duties.
“The Programme for Government makes a weak commitment that it would have a “view” to remove the means-test. The PBO estimates now make a clear case to act, to abolish the means-test and to finally value care in this country.”