Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)

A number of groups who made presentations to the Joint Committee on Social and Family Affairs, even those dealing with social welfare issues day to day, were amazed by the number of people attending a recent conference of some of these organisations who did not know this respite grant existed. The scheme to provide a respite grant to people who had previously applied for the carer's allowance but did not qualify on the grounds of means is excellent. We saw from the census the number of carers who are debarred from getting grants on the basis of their means. Thousands are involved.

It is time we and the Department of Social and Family Affairs started selling this good news scheme. I made some statements on the matter in a radio interview and a significant number of people came to my office as a result. I got application forms for them to apply for the grant and some of them have already received their money. People should be informed of this scheme because thousands of them care for a loved one at home without any help from the State. This respite grant exists but they do not know about it. We and the Department should sell it to them.

I complimented the Minister recently on the family income supplement, FIS. Thousands of people were entitled to that payment but many of them did not avail of it because they did not know about it. The Department launched a media campaign to inform them of it, which I welcomed. I hope it will do the same to promote this respite scheme to the thousands of people who do not know about it. People often have a fear that when they apply for a scheme, there will be a sting in the tail and they will find they do not qualify. There is no means test involved in the respite care grant. Therefore people should apply for it if they do not qualify for any of the other grants. They are entitled to it and I urge the Minister to continue to promote it.

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