Up to 116,000 hard-pressed carers are set to get a boost with the announcement of a new support grant.
All carers providing full-time care to an older person or a person with a disability can avail of the €1,700 grant, it was announced today.
The annual payment is available to carers regardless of their means or social insurance contributions.
Making the announcement on Thursday morning, Minister Regina Doherty said: "I am very pleased to have been able to allocate €218 million for the Carer’s Support Grant this year which will benefit some 116,000 carers.
"It will be paid automatically to approximately 110,000 people receiving the Carer's Allowance, Carer's Benefit, and Domiciliary Care Allowance.
"It is also available to an estimated 6,000 full-time carers who are not in receipt of these payments. I urge these carers to apply for this grant.
"It is not means-tested and is assessed on the level of care being provided by the carer."
Around 9,000 of those who are providing care for more than one person will receive the grant for each person being cared for.
The Carer’s Support Grant will be automatically paid to those receiving carer's allowance, carer's benefit or domiciliary care allowance.
Other full-time carers, who are not receiving any of these payments, may also apply for the grant.
The closing date for applications for the 2019 Grant is December 31, 2020.
Ms Doherty added that more than €1.7million has been allocated to 12 projects across Ireland which will provide training, information and support services for family carers.
The aim is to reduce the risk of injury to the carer and care recipient and to help with the emotional and psychological aspects of home care.
The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection’s expenditure on carer’s allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant has increased from €1.1billion in 2017 to an estimated €1.28billion for 2019.
