Mr. John Dunne:

I realise that everybody is saying we cannot take any more cuts. The question we are asking, however, is why are we being cut more than anybody else. Carers are the only group in the social protection area required to work more than 40 hours per week in order to get benefits. At the same time, however, they are being cut disproportionately. I do not believe for one minute that anybody set out last year to hit carers disproportionately but the way in which the budget was framed meant it was a last minute decision and nobody recognised the implications. It followed from the principled decision not to cut the main schemes but it meant the ones on the edges are effectively being annihilated over time.

A carer at home incurs additional laundry bills in many cases because they have to deal with issues like incontinence. Water charges will make a difference and their ESB and heating bills are higher than average. They must cover the cost of life saving electric machinery such as dialysis machines. There is no recognition of the costs associated with such equipment and the household benefits package was cut without recognising that carers are a special group. They are, therefore, dealing with the dual burden of their costs increasing even as their income supports decrease.