Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

At the outset, the Government made a commitment to social partners and carer representative groups that a national carers' strategy would not just be a paper exercise. The current economic situation has made it impossible to consider introducing any developments in services for carers at this time, beyond what we have been able to provide in recent years. There have been significant improvements in recent years. In that context, rather than publishing a document which does not include any significant plans for the future, it was considered that the best course of action would be not to publish a strategy at this time and to be open and honest with people who work in this area. I have a lot of admiration and respect for them. The Minister for Social and Family Affairs arranged meetings with representatives of carers groups in advance for that purpose.

Over the past ten years, support for carers has greatly increased. This year, the Department of Social and Family Affairs is providing some €650 million in payments to support carers. Over 45,000 people will receive a carer's allowance payment. That figure includes some 16,000 people who receive the half-rate carer's allowance in addition to another social welfare payment, which is a change I introduced as Minister for Finance. It was agreed with the late Séamus Brennan who was Minister for Social and Family Affairs at the time.

Over 51,400 carers received the annual respite grant of €17,000. The figure of 161,000 carers, which is frequently quoted — it was mentioned by Deputy Ó Caoláin — is from census returns and includes anyone providing a minimum of one hour's care per week. The numbers in receipt of carer's allowance or benefit and the respite care grant represent the vast majority of people providing full-time care.

The Department of Health and Children and the Health Service Executive, together with the Department of Social and Family Affairs, are committed to working with carers representative groups in the valuable work they do to support carers. The submissions received as part of the consultation process and the work carried out by the interdepartmental working group will inform our thinking in the future. In current circumstances, however, it is important to focus on maintaining the level of services we have been able to provide up to now in better times. These are far more difficult times.

See this speech in context