Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I absolutely appreciate the really important role carers play in society and in homes and families, helping those who face very difficult situations. The responsibility for that, though, sits with the Department of Health rather than me. I am afraid I am not in a position to tell the Deputy about the detailed policies I am sure the Department of Health has to help with the number of carers in the country. At this point I can tell the Deputy only about the general things we need to do, which the Department is trying to facilitate. I refer to where we are with the visa programme, trying to make sure we have a good, open, well-functioning visa programme, and then the work the Minister, Deputy Harris, is doing on higher education and apprenticeship programmes. I accept that that might not be particularly relevant to the Deputy's specific question about carers but it is essential to how we can encourage young workers into different kinds of work in the economy and then help with retraining in our economy. We have to work very hard to try to make sure that happens.