Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)

I thank all the witnesses for coming in today. I want to be associated with the previous comments on all the great work they do.

My first questions are for ALONE. Was I right in hearing Mr. Moynihan say that there had only been an uptake of 6% on the living alone allowance? I agree wholeheartedly on the telephone allowance. A weekly amount of €2.50 is just not enough in the modern age for people, especially when they are paying for connections to panic alarms, etc. An increase in that is long overdue.

I thank Ms Tighe for her testimony. It is great to hear her experience of the personal care she gives to Dan. Ms Cox might come in on this. How many hours are family carers providing in emergency respite care? It is a huge thing and I know many people have used their services, reaching out to them to come in where the State should be on respite care, which is so important for mental health and self-care as well. I ask for details of what family carers are doing.

I am shocked to hear Ms Hasson say that the back to school allowance would only cost €1 million. This was painted as something that was great and is very welcome for the 2,300 people who are eligible. If it is only going to cost €1 million, then this committee needs to get fully behind that. Given the job that foster care families do throughout the State, it is absolutely unbelievable. I am shocked by that. I thought it was going to cost a lot more than €1 million. The Government needs to look at that in the forthcoming budget.

On pensions, this is something that comes up with me regularly. The witnesses have said that families may be fostering for 20, 30 or 40 years, but when they reach the age of 66, there is no pension for them. Unfortunately, it is almost always females who are dependent on their husbands' income and they then become this terrible term called a dependent adult. It is totally wrong and I agree that it should change. I welcome that it is in the programme for Government. The witnesses have my support in any way I can.