Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have great respect for the Carers Association. I read the submission last night and I think the political pun contained in it is unwelcome. I will leave the House whenever people decide not to elect me. I hope not to receive a pension until I am 68 years of age. I am not interested in what happened in the past in political life in this building, I am interested in the future. As public representatives, we must respect the fact that we will not receive a pension when we leave the premises. I agree with the idea and it was not necessary to have it otherwise. I agree with the suggestion regarding carers having more than six weeks after the person they have been caring for has departed. I do not agree with a period of a year but I support the idea of six months.

Why does someone who is a full-time carer want a free GP card? Perhaps I read the suggestion wrong but that is what I picked up. The submission refers to record numbers of people with physical disabilities. What disabilities do these people have if they are carers? What records exist? Perhaps the witnesses are telling me that someone who was a carer ends up with a physical disability from being a carer. What are these physical disabilities? I do not know anyone who has been a carer who has a disability after the loved one dies. Perhaps I am living on a different planet. I want to say much more but the Chairman will not allow it.