Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The question was to ask the Minister for Social Protection the plans she has to improve services for those who depend on the respite care grant in view of the fact that that grant was cut last year. The Minister has spent several minutes answering a question that could be answered in four words: We have no plans.

The Minister mentioned that the expenditure on carers in the current year is at €806 million. She will be aware that for every euro the State spends on carers it gets back about €5. The value of the total caring done in this country is estimated to be between €4.5 billion and €5 billion. The Minister will also be aware of the survey published yesterday by the Neurological Alliance of Ireland. It is among a number of surveys which point out that this particular cutback, among other cutbacks, has had a significant impact on carers of people with neurological conditions.

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