Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

The development of a national carers strategy is a key Government commitment in the national partnership agreement, Towards 2016, and the programme for Government.

The focus of the strategy is on supporting informal and family carers in the community. While social welfare supports for carers are a key issue in the strategy, other issues such as access to respite and other services, education, training and employment are also important. 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 this reason, an inter-departmental working group has been established to develop the strategy.

My Department provides the secretariat to the working group which is chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach. The group also includes representatives from the Departments of Finance, Health and Children and Enterprise, Trade and Employment, FÁS and the Health Service Executive. Developing the strategy involves consultation with other Departments and Government bodies not represented on the working group. Yesterday, my Department hosted a consultation meeting with several organisations including the Equality Authority, Combat Poverty Agency, Citizens Information Board, Pobal, the Family Support Agency, NESC, the National Council on Ageing and Older People, the Office of the Revenue Commissioners, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the Department of Education and Science and the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. Further meetings will be held with other organisations in the near future.

A request for submissions from the public was published in regional newspapers during the week beginning 3 March 2008 and in the national daily papers on Friday, 7 March; it is also on the front page of my Department's website. Representative groups and the social partners have been advised of this process. The closing date for submissions is Friday, 18 April 2008 and, to date, 35 submissions have been received.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

A meeting was held on 23 January 2008, in line with my Department's commitment in Towards 2016 to hosting an annual consultation meeting of carer representative groups and relevant Departments and agencies. Representatives of 12 groups and nine Departments and other government agencies attended. The theme was the national carers strategy and groups were given an opportunity to comment on the draft terms of reference and to raise other issues considered relevant in the context of the strategy.

Key issues raised at the meeting were recognition for carers and their work, accessing suitable health services, income support, pensions and access to training and employment. Another meeting with carer groups will be held when the results of the consultation process are available. The commitment to the development of a national carers strategy includes a commitment to appropriate consultation with the social partners. An update on the strategy was provided to the social partners plenary session in February. It is intended that the first consultation meeting with the social partners will be held in April.

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