Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)

I thank Deputy Penrose for his chairmanship of the joint committee and his work in this area. I assure Deputies that I have listened carefully to and taken note of the arguments and points made this evening.

I would like to make some personal remarks before I deal with the motion before the House. I wish to outline my approach and philosophy to delivering a welfare and social services support system that will reach out to include all who need and deserve our assistance. Most of us — I suppose, all in this House — are fortunate enough to have reaped the benefits of living in an Ireland that has witnessed great surges in economic growth in recent years. That economic performance has allowed us to tackle many of the social and economic issues that in the past scarred this country's reputation as a place of care and refuge. As I have regularly stated in many places, we must keep up that sturdy economic growth by encouraging expansion in business and companies and greater competitiveness. As we have seen in recent days, all the predictions in the newspapers are for continued growth. Some Deputies opposite spoke of Ireland as having been a rich country, but the economy will continue to grow very impressively for some years.

That is, of course, good news. However, its true benefits will be seen only if the fruits of that economic growth percolate through to benefit all and not just the few. As I have said many times, our economic progress is not intended to make millionaires of the few while many others face a daily struggle. We can be proud on all sides of this House that we have contributed to making this a booming economy and a vibrant modern country, but we would be prouder if it reached out and lifted up those who, for whatever reason, have been left behind and feel most vulnerable. One Deputy opposite spoke of Seán Lemass's famous assertion about the benefits of a growing economy when he said that a rising tide lifts all boats. In today's Ireland, the economic tide is rising ever higher each year.

However, in the great swell of profits, new opportunities and high expectations, the tide has not lifted all who need our help. That is why, as Minister for Social and Family Affairs, I am determined to work with all sides of the House to tackle the areas where people have been left behind. Resources will be targeted on helping those most in need and most deserving. I think of the thousands of carers throughout the country who selflessly sacrifice so much of their lives to look after loved ones, the older people who were central to the building of the new Ireland and the Celtic tiger, those on whose shoulders we now stand who want to spend the twilight years in security and comfort and the widows and widowers who have had to face many difficulties.

I did not need to go to Inchydoney to know that my political philosophy was clear in my head. I believed in the political party in which I grew up, and I still do. It was a Fianna Fáil Party that believed in economic progress, but not for its own sake. It fought for the reunification of the country, believed in social justice and took a certain pride in our culture and heritage. That is the political party in which I grew up and spent much of my youth and all my adult life. I say those things to show that there is no conflict between my economic views and my social responsibilities.

My late father was a tradesman who ran a small business. He taught me that growing the economy was for everyone's benefit. I always believed that doing so, bringing in companies, making them profitable so that they paid tax and creating full employment were not just for the sake of one or two shareholders or to create a few millionaires. I have fought all my political life to sustain that economic progress so that we could do something with it for people such as my mother, who lives on her own, and God knows how many others like her around the country. That is the purpose of economic growth and that is the philosophy that I grew up with, which probably prevented me from departing to other political parties when the opportunity presented itself.

I wanted to make those personal comments tonight to indicate that I will do my best as Minister for Social and Family Affairs to bring whatever skills I have, good or bad, to bear on trying to make a difference to the lives of the hundreds of thousands of people around the country who depend on our social affairs system. I pledge to the House tonight that I will do my best in that context. This is not some Pauline conversion and is not due to some visit to Inchydoney. I have always believed in a growing economy to produce the surpluses that allow us to meet our social obligations. That has always been my belief, and I have been on record in many places over the years as having said that clearly. I am saying nothing new this evening since I have made these comments, to my own party and publicly, many times.

Now I will deal with the motion. The increase in the number of older people as a proportion of the population presents challenges and opportunities to Irish society. As we age, we aspire to live at home in dignity in our own community. The same aspiration applies to people with disabilities. Our challenge is to provide services for older people and those with disabilities when and where those services are needed and to tailor them to the individual's need.

The Government has been committed to supporting carers and care in the community for many years, and my predecessors have been involved in that. My colleagues in opposition have called on the Government to recognise the value of carers' contribution to society. The Government's recognition of the value of carers' work is evident in several facts. Expenditure on carers' payments increased by 310%, from €46.36 million in 1997 to €190.2 million at the end of last year. The number of carers receiving carer's allowance is up by almost 142% since the Government took office in 1997 and now stands at 22,300. The carer's allowance has been increased by €68.28, or 76%, for those over 66 and by €50.08, or 56%, for those under 66 over the last seven budgets.

The Government's commitment to carers is real, and Members may want to consider the following specific measures and innovations which it has implemented in recent years. In April this year, the weekly income disregard increased to €250 for a single carer and €500 for a couple. That increase ensures that a couple with two children, earning a joint income of up to €29,328, qualify for the maximum rate of carer's allowance, while the same couple, if they have an income of €46,384, can still qualify for the minimum carer's allowance, free schemes and the respite care grant. The annual respite care grant, which was introduced in 1999, increased to €835 from June this year. The amount has increased by a massive 229% over five successive budgets. In addition, those caring for more than one person receive a double respite care grant of €1,670 in recognition of the difficulties they face. That represents an increase of over 550% on what the same carers would have received five years ago.

The carer's benefit and carer's leave schemes were introduced in the 2002 budget. Those arrangements provide financial support and allow carers to avail of job-protected leave of absence for a period of up to 15 months. The net result of those measures is that over 55% of the 40,500 carers estimated by the CSO to be caring for more than six hours per day are in receipt of a specific carer's payment from my Department.

The Government will deliver much more for carers. The care agenda is a very important aspect of social policy, with major financial and other implications, and I am determined, together with my colleague the Minister for Health and Children, to move this agenda on by developing a realistic and achievable framework for the future of long-term care.

International studies suggest that healthy life expectancy, that is, the number of years of life that will be free of chronic illness or disability, is increasing. Furthermore, improvements in technology will enable older people and those with disabilities to live independently for longer. Traditionally, older people and those with disabilities have been cared for informally in the home, mainly by women. Increasing participation of women in the labour force will lead to a decline in the number of women available to provide care. In addition, the decline in family size means that there are fewer offspring to provide care.

A range of studies indicates that older people would prefer to receive care in their own homes and communities. The challenge is to put in place a benefit and financing system which meets people's needs and is sustainable. In order to address some of these issues, during the summer my predecessor in the Department circulated a consultation document to examine the future financing of long-term care in Ireland. This document aims to focus interested parties on the complex issues which must be addressed in the policy development process. They include benefit design, delivery and cost and financing, which are discussed at length in the report. The document has been circulated to over 70 interested parties including Oireachtas committees, Departments, health boards, the social partners and interest groups representing carers, older people and people with disabilities. My officials are currently compiling the feedback from the consultation process and this will be the starting point for the working group promised in Sustaining Progress. I intend to establish this working group before the end of this year. Parallel with this consultation, the ESRI is carrying out a telephone survey on behalf of my Department in order to explore public attitudes and views on issues related to provision and funding of long-term care of the elderly.

With regard to the report of the Joint Committee on Social and Family Affairs, The Position of Full-Time Carers, I congratulate the committee on this insight into the needs of carers which it obtained from talking to a range of interested parties. I was interested to read in the committee's report that the greatest need identified by family carers is a break from caring, for home respite and respite for the dependent person. I have already spoken of the respite care grant paid by my Department to all carers in receipt of carer's allowance and carer's benefit. I will consider the further improvements in this grant scheme recommended by the joint committee.

I also noted that one of the recommendations of the joint committee relating to my Department pertains to improvements in the information available to carers. In this regard, funding of €18,000 has been provided to the Carers Association towards the publication and distribution of a new information pack which will provide information about services and supports for carers and their families. My officials are carrying out a review of the carer's allowance and carer's benefit schemes within the Department. It will consider many of the issues and recommendations raised by the Joint Committee on Social and Family Affairs in its report, The Position of Full-Time Carers. The review is nearing completion and its recommendations will be considered in the context of the budget.

Government policy is strongly in favour of supporting care in the community and enabling people to remain in their own homes for as long as possible. The development of the supports available to carers will continue to be a priority for this Government, and, building on the foundations now in place, we will continue to develop the types of services which recognise the value of the caring ethos and which provide real support and practical assistance to people who devote their time to improving the quality of life for others. I thank Deputy Penrose and his Labour Party colleagues for giving me the opportunity to make these remarks, both official and personal.

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