John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Listening to the various contributions to the debate, I was reminded once again how close to home the issue of carers is. Each individual carer mentioned represents the thousands of carers from every family in every parish in every corner of Ireland who receive no awards, often little recognition and sometimes not even the awareness of those for whom they care. People need help and support and this Government is committed to supporting family carers as much as we can.

The income supports that carers receive from the Department of Social Protection are among the highest rates in Europe and remain so after this budget. We had to reduce the respite care grant but the revised rate of the grant, at €1,375, will still be more than twice what it was in 2002, when it was €635, and higher than it was in 2006 at the height of the economic boom, when it was €1,200.

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