Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Carers' Association, which represents 187,000 carers in this country attended a meeting with Oireachtas Members on 19 May. The main item on the agenda was the national strategy report for carers and the slow progress being made on the report which was first planned and published in 2012. There are some 42 actions recommended in the strategy, but many of them remain untouched. Several Departments are involved in the implementation of the strategy, including the Departments of Social Protection, Health, Justice and Equality, the Environment, etc. Departments across the board are involved.

The report is now entering its third year.

The recent assessment highlighted the slow rate of progress of this plan. It also indicated that it has produced mixed results to date, with some Departments making good progress, others making none and some taking regressive actions.

Some of the issues highlighted included the transition arrangements for carers who are exiting their caring role. The Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation has yet to engage with the strategy in terms of how it treats people leaving the role of carer and supports them in returning to the workforce.

The limit on the number of hours recipients of carer's allowance, carer's benefit and the respite care grant are permitted to engage in training is currently set at 15 hours per week. That must be extended to at least 20 hours.

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