Eileen Flynn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach. First, I thank Family Carers Ireland for all of the work, not just today or yesterday, but for many years and the changes made on behalf of the people it works for which have happened over the past number of years. These have not been easy changes to provide value for carers within Irish society.

What really struck me at the end of Ms Cox’s presentation was the proposal to have a referendum which is a good thing. This value should be just given without having to get the opinion of the whole nation as to whether we should value or not value our carers. I would like to look at that going forward and at how we can do that without that approval because people will obviously vote the right way to look after carers because every single family in the whole of the country at least knows a carer, or someone who needs to be cared for.

The audit and the respite are well overdue and that is a recommendation which I will look to push for on this committee. I will look for an audit and for respite.

I put to Family Carers Ireland the question around the recommendations for this committee. The Committee on Autism is due to end very soon so if the views of Family Carers Ireland and its voice is be heard in that report, what would it be? What are the two changes it would like to see happen for people who care for others in Irish society?

Again, on social protection, I have big issues around getting carer's benefit and even getting disability allowance. This was even around the Social Welfare (Child Benefit) Bill in the past week. While welcoming the €100 a month for families until the end of the year, it is a cost to have a child with a disability. With the cost of living now so high, how do we look after those families within the cost-of-living crisis at the moment?

For our children, I am aware that we have got good services and people working in them for respite and it is not their fault but it is a fault of the system. How do we change that so that we can give carers - and for much of the time it is women - that time off at least once a year for respite? This is also the case for many people who are caring for adults who are autistic. How do we provide this support because I do not have the answers to this? That is why I was determined that I would be here to listen to our guests’ views so that we will be able to incorporate these into the report.

On the point about education, it is not just about access but is about opportunities to be successful. Is there anything the witnesses would like to add to the report around children with autism in our education system? I thank the Cathaoirleach.