Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

Supporting and recognising carers in our society is a priority of the Government and has been so since 1997. Over that period, weekly payment rates to carers have been greatly increased, qualifying conditions for the carers allowance have been significantly eased, coverage of the scheme has been extended and new schemes such as carer's benefit and the respite care grant have been introduced and extended. Recent reforms of the scheme allow people in receipt of certain social welfare payments, who are also providing full-time care and attention to a person, to retain their main welfare payment and receive a half rate carer's allowance. The amount paid will vary depending on their means.

One of the key Government commitments in the national partnership agreement Towards 2016 is the development of a national carers strategy and this commitment is reiterated in the programme for Government. One of the recommendations of the Joint Committee on Social and Family Affairs Report on the Position of Full Time Carers, which was published in 2003, was that such a strategy should be developed. I am pleased that we are now in a position to act on that recommendation.

The strategy will focus on supporting informal and family carers in the community. While social welfare supports for carers will clearly be a key issue in the strategy, other issues such as access to respite and other services, education, training and employment will also feature strongly. Co-operation between relevant Departments and agencies is essential if the provision of services, supports and entitlements for carers is to be fully addressed. For that reason, all relevant Departments and agencies will be involved in the strategy and there will be appropriate consultation with the social partners.

My officials have been in discussions with their colleagues in other relevant Departments to decide on the best approach to the development of the strategy. In view of the need to ensure that appropriate arrangements and structures are in place to support its development, it will not be possible to complete the strategy by the end of this year, as had been intended originally.

An interdepartmental working group, chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach, is being established to develop the strategy and to manage the consultation process. I expect the strategy to be completed by summer of 2008. The recent improvements in the income supports available from this Department represent major improvements in supports available to carers in the community. The development of a national carers strategy provides us with an opportunity to build further on these improvements and to consider other areas where progress can be made.

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