Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank all our witnesses. It has been a useful exchange. It showed why it was important to have this pre-legislative scrutiny. What Dr. Conaty said earlier struck me in terms of the roles of carers and how we identify carers and what care is. It takes many different forms and comes in many different guises. I am similarly of a view that the sexist nature of what has prevailed needs to change. I am thinking about the symbolic recognition of care and carers and how important that is.

It is complex if we want to do it justice because not only do we have the competing views of women and men and gender neutrality but we also have an increasing number of children and elderly people caring for disabled children or people with specific needs and requirements. Many carers face feelings of isolation and marginalisation. Symbolism can address that to some extent but in terms of their daily bread and butter it can be down to the legislative flow that might be required. What are the arguments relating to access and benefits and how we tangibly support carers? Children cannot open bank accounts, for example, so it is a complex issue. I appreciate that I have not formulated all of this in my head. It is something separate that struck me from the conversation and questions thus far.

I will try to put it into the form of a question. Are the witnesses aware of any other examples of good practice internationally where states have included the symbolic nature of care and a constitutional recognition of care? Care does not always prevail within the family. We probably all know of instances of community care where neighbours look after more vulnerable people within their community. That constitutional recognition of solidarity and support and care is important. Are there international examples of that symbolic nature or examples of where states have gone beyond that?