Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

The carers strategy is an important issue in the context of the social pillar. Carers' representative associations are pleased with what has been done in recent budgets, particularly the last. They have achieved a significant portion of their list of objectives. Likewise, they are pleased to have received concessions on a number of important points in the course of the social partnership process. As resources permit, it is important that we continue to improve the lot of carers, who take on a vital role in society. The Minister for Social and Family Affairs has a full list of the new initiatives worked out between his Department and the negotiators on behalf of carers.

On housing, the Central Bank's most recent financial stability report, published last autumn, shows that mortgage repayments for first-time buyers trended over the past 15 years within a range of approximately 23% to 33% of household disposable income on a national basis. Irish house buyers benefit from a range of supporting factors, including the healthy income growth of the last decade——

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