Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The budget brought forward by Fine Gael and the Labour Party on 5 December has been branded anti-family, anti-children and anti-women. The cuts to the respite care grant in particular give credence to the claim that there is an anti-women agenda. The statistics speak for themselves in that 64% of carers are women. As such, the reduction in the respite care grant will impact disproportionately on women on low incomes. These women might well be part of the workforce and earning a good wage but because they are committed to caring for their loved ones, they are instead on call 24 hours per day and 365 days per year for less than the minimum wage. Carers provide some 900,000 hours of care every day, saving the State some €11 million per day or more than €4.7 billion every year. That annual contribution is five times what the Government pays out to the people who perform this caring service. In this miserly budget, however, the Government had the heartless cheek to cut the respite care grant cut by a massive €325, from €1,700 to €1,375.

In July of this year the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, launched the national carer's strategy. This was rightly seen as a very positive step and was welcomed as such by Sinn Féin. At the launch of the strategy the Minister of State said, "The publication of this strategy sends a strong message to carers that Government recognises and values their selfless hard work and compassion, which enhances the health and quality of life of thousands on a daily basis." One of the main goals of the strategy, she explained, was to empower carers to participate as fully as possible in economic and social life, with respite breaks identified as an important element in that regard. Within five months, however, the same Minister of State had voted to cut the very respite grant she previously applauded. I cannot tell whether this was a case of hypocrisy or political expediency.

This cut comes on top of a host of other cuts and charges, including a reduction in the household benefits package and the imposition of the unjust family home tax. The pain of these attacks will hurt the disabled and families of carers more than most of us can imagine. At the same time, those earning €200,000 and above will lose only €5 per week in additional PRSI liability. Where is the justice in that? I applaud each and every one of the 187,000 carers in this State. In my own constituency of Laois-Offaly the reduction in the respite care grant will affect nearly 7,000 people and their families. The saving of €26 million that the cut will yield is very small in the context of overall expenditure and adjustments. In response to the decision, carers have organised themselves and launched a very fine campaign. They are angry but determined. These people are not for turning and they have my full support.

I take this opportunity to highlight the plight of a constituent of mine in Laois called Teresa. As a full-time carer to two uncles who are blind she receives an income of €306 per week. One of her uncles also has Parkinson's disease and both have a mental disability. One can only imagine the pressure she is under providing her loved ones with the round-the-clock care they require. Her reward from the Government is a mean, Scrooge-like cut in her respite care grant. Teresa has asked me to highlight her circumstances and to ask the Minister to reverse this cut. She loves her uncles dearly but she needs a break like anyone else. The Government is denying her that break, however, because it is more concerned with avoiding taxing the wealthy.

It is within the gift of the Government to retain the full respite care grant. Sinn Féin put forward a range of alternatives in advance of the budget. Our proposal for wealth taxes, for example, based on figures from the Department, would yield €800 million. A standardising of discretionary tax reliefs would have brought in a further €969 million, while a third income tax rate of 48% on earnings above €100,0000 would have raised €365 million.

I ask the Government to do the honourable thing. It should reverse the heartless cut, reinstate the full respite grant and help people who are in dire straits but who are providing a great service to their families, the community and the State.

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