Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I stress the importance of providing affordable options for families to provide care to their loved ones and allow them live in their own homes. A typical example is the housing grant scheme, which is administered by county councils. The mobility aid grant is an essential piece of the jigsaw in allowing people to live in their own homes but funding for that grant has been halved from €79 million in 2011 to just €38 million in 2014. Further changes to the scheme announced in January 2014 will mean that even fewer people are now eligible.

The 19% cut to the respite care grant imposed in the budget of 2014 was regressive. That payment is given to allow family carers take a much needed break from their round the clock caring but in reality it is also used for respite from financial worries and a number of other hidden costs such as medical, electricity and ancillary costs. The failure to reverse the 19% cut in the budget for 2015 was most disappointing.

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