Ms Zoe Hughes:

I will consider that. We have no contact with Social Farming Ireland or the like as regards caring. However, there are many carers in that space in rural Ireland, so I will look into it and see if there is anything on which I can report back to the committee.

A number of issues arise for family carers who wish to re-enter the workforce or enter it for the first time and work while also caring. Sometimes, caring is seen as all they can do, but carers often want to work or volunteer at the same time. If they are in receipt of carer's allowance in particular, though, they can be stymied in doing so. They can only work 18.5 hours without their eligibility for the allowance being affected. Education is also affected. For example, if someone is retraining, it is not just all of his or her contact hours in college that are considered, but assignments and travel to and from college as well. This can be disincentivising. It is also insulting to think that family carers, who balance so many things, do not know how best to balance their education or work with ensuring that the persons they care for, love and want to ensure are safe, happy and healthy are cared for while they are at work or training.

Care Alliance Ireland runs online courses with family carers to enable them to return to the workforce, particularly where they know their caring roles are coming to an end and they are planning for that. Confidence is one of the greatest barriers people face – when they have been out of work for so long, their confidence can take a knock. It is too simplistic to say that if we allow people to train or go back to work while keeping their benefits, they will return to work. More needs to be done to achieve that, and perhaps there needs to be awareness of that. This is the only matter I did not get to cover earlier.

I thank the committee for the opportunity to contribute.