Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Workers and Unemployed Action Group)

Is the Minister aware that carers earn about €1.20 per hour and work 168 hours per week? Is she aware that 160,000 carers work about 3.7 million hours per week and save the State about €2.5 billion per year? Is it not reasonable that this section of our community should be exempt from any cutbacks? There is a huge contrast between how carers are being dealt with and how very wealthy people get away with paying no wealth tax, even though the top 5% of the wealthiest people in the country have some €250 billion in assets. Carers have suffered a €16.30 per week cut over the last two budgets, so they should surely be exempt. Would the Minister reconsider reversing these cuts immediately?

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