Ms Rosaleen Doonan:

One must also consider the totality of it in the context of how services for family carers on both sides of the Border are delivered. The services in Northern Ireland are much better than they are here, despite the fact that the support system is not at the same level. As stated earlier, however, I do not know which model is better. The best model might be a combination of both. For example, in Northern Ireland there are carer co-ordinators. Ms McEniff was a carer co-ordinator with the HSE before she took up another position within the organisation. Her previous post was not filled. I accept that we are living in straitened economic times but the position of carer co-ordinator was not considered important enough to fill. There is no carer co-ordinator in place in the Republic at present. That tells its own story. Ms Van Aswegen would have her own insight. This matter is not about spending money, it is about how it is spent in a way that results in the best value being obtained.

If one considers it from an economic perspective, then matters would dictate that the State would seek to begin supporting family carers. The more they are supported, the more people could be removed from residential care, acute hospitals, etc. It is a no-brainer.