I am proposing to the Minister for Finance that the regulations covering eligibility for the Carers Allowance be reviewed in the Budget. At present a person can work only 15 hours to qualify and I am proposing that this figure be raised to 20 hours.
I am also of the opinion that people who give up a full time job to become full time Carers should be looked on as a special case. They are saving the state a fortune looking after someone in their won home and it is something that will have to be looked at.