Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 2 February 2023

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters

Living with a Disability: Discussion

Photo of Eileen FlynnEileen Flynn (Independent)
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I will come in very briefly. I did not table a question but I was listening to Ms Johnstone on the way in. I know the work that Family Carers Ireland has done for many years and the importance of caring for somebody at home, even somebody who is dying. From my experience, there are certain ways to become a carer. None of us plans to care for somebody with a disability or a sick person. In my personal opinion, the application forms to apply to be a carer - the question of who can tell a person whether they get to be a carer - are too much for many people.

For the sake of the committee, could we agree to write a collective letter to the Minister to see whether he can meet Family Carers Ireland and representatives of carers in Ireland? That would be a brilliant starting point for this committee. Like other members in this room, I would not be 100% educated on the subject. Really, even though someone is caring for a person, he or she is not that person's decision-maker. As well as that, independent living is an issue. Some people may take advantage of caring for somebody, for example when we start to talk about money. I do not know how to put it in the right way, to be honest. How do we deal with those kinds of situations? I know it is something Family Carers Ireland is concerned about as well.