Senator Aisling Dolan - Strong Voice, New Vision.
Senator Aisling Dolan welcomes plans to abolish Means Test for Carers and introduce new €325 Family Carer Payment
The Fine Gael candidate met with representatives from Family Carers Ireland this week, and pledged her support for families caring for loved ones at home
Fine Gael General Election Candidate for the Roscommon-Galway constituency, Senator Aisling Dolan, has welcomed her Party’s plans to reform financial supports for Family Carers. This week, Fine Gael announced that, if the Party is returned to Government, it will abolish the Carer’s Allowance Means Test and introduce a new Family Carer Payment of €325 per week.
Senator Dolan met with a number of representatives of Family Carers Ireland (FCI) in Hannon’s Hotel in Roscommon on Thursday afternoon, November 14th, where she pledged to lend her full support to families across the region who are caring for their loved ones in their homes.
“More than 500,000 people in Ireland are providing care for loved ones in their homes, saving the State €20 billion each year. I met with carers and FCI representatives in Roscommon and listened to their stories. These people are offering the best possible support and care in their homes, and doing a tremendous service to the State. This announcement by Fine Gael will ensure vital support for thousands of family carers across Roscommon and Galway,” said Senator Dolan.
Under the new guarantee, Fine Gael will immediately double the weekly earnings limits to €1,250 for a single Carer and €2,500 for a couple. In a situation where a mother has to give up her job to provide full time care to a child with special needs, this would mean her husband/partner could have an annual salary of €130,000 and she would still qualify for the full payment.
“In addition, Fine Gael will continue to increase this limit in each Budget and will completely phase out the means test over the term of the next Government,” she added.
According to Senator Dolan, it is vital that we recognise carers who are working 24/7 to provide full-time care to loved ones. “Carers save the State billions every year and we are determined that their vital work, and the contribution they make to society, is recognised and valued.
“Fine Gael increased the Carer’s Support Grant to €2,000 in the last Budget – its highest ever level. From January 2025, the Carers Allowance will become a qualifying payment for the weekly Fuel Allowance and in turn can include carers for the SEAI Fully Funded Energy Upgrades to homes. We have increased weekly payments to Carers by €41 and we have ensured Carers were prioritised in all of the Cost of Living lump sum payments. Indeed, only this week, 145,000 Carers across the country are receiving a €400 lump sum payment to help them with the cost of living,” noted Senator Dolan.
Continuing, she explained that Fine Gael also passed the legislation to provide a pension for long term Carers, ensuring they receive pension contributions for the time they spent caring. “That was a major policy change by Fine Gael to support Carers in the last Government. The means test is unfinished business and the Taoiseach has made it very clear Fine Gael will abolish the means test if we are returned to Government, as well as increasing the weekly payment to Carers to €325.”
