David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)

I will speak briefly about children as carers, an issue raised by me at a recent meeting of the Oireachtas Committee on Social and Family Affairs. The Minister gave a commitment during a previous Question Time and at that committee meeting to examine this matter and take action. This is a very important issue which demands a cross-departmental response from the Department of Health and Children, the Department of Social and Family Affairs and, possibly, the Department of Education and Science.

Will the Minister initiate debate on this issue at Government and Cabinet level to ensure that the scandal of children being forced to care for parents or siblings and possibly carry out many intimate tasks at a very young age to the detriment of their education and life chances is addressed? The Carers Association and other groups are very concerned about this issue and have brought it to our attention on a number of occasions. If tackling this issue was the only action taken in respect of carers, it would be worthwhile.

The Health Service Executive should be responsible for supporting children who care for loved ones. If I recall correctly, the Minister said at a meeting of the Committee on Social and Family Affairs that it was not a case of paying children to be carers. We want them to be relieved of the burden of caring for their relatives and for personnel to be made available to ensure that care is made available to people who need it in their homes. I understand that some child carers are as young as 12.

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