Marc MacSharry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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I am sure the opening of Stepaside Garda station had the support of the Civil Service Management Board too but that is another matter. Has there been a cross-departmental assessment or cost analysis of carer's allowance with the Department of Health, the HSE, disability services or local authorities, to see if a loosening of the criteria for carer's allowance is possible? Could we reduce, loosen or abolish the means tests on carer's allowance, combined with other supports such as medical cards, housing adaption grants and home care to reduce dependency on long-term care in nursing homes, thus freeing up acute beds? Could we reduce the net overall cost by giving carer's allowance to people to care for a loved one whether an aunt, brother, sister, mother, father or child at home? On average, it is €1,000 a day for an acute bed and €1,000 a week for a nursing home bed. Is there merit in combining carer's allowance with a medical card, home help or adaption grants? Would it be a lot more cost-effective for us to reduce, abolish or loosen the criteria for carer's allowance rather than dishing out €1,000 a day or €1,000 a week in State funds for long-term care? Has a cost analysis been done on that? If not, as with the other linking we have asked Mr. McKeon to do, could he engage in it and give us a note on it?