Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I support Deputy Penrose strongly in his remarks. I also support strongly the amendment in the name of Deputy Brady. Day in, day out we come across the many constituents we have who are in caring roles. They are often women in their 30s or 40s caring for two parents in their mid to late 80s. While it is great that people are living longer, there is no question that those carers are saving the State countless millions every year. I recall that when I was a member of his party, Deputy Penrose and I launched a report entitled Caring for our Carers in which we tried to lay out a step by step approach to recognise caring as a job of work and to look after carers adequately. Very often, it is traumatic for the person who has been carrying out the work when the caring is over. Supports are withdrawn and the person may have missed out, like women returners, on access to various schemes.

A closely related matter is the welcome news that we will look at the cost of disability. The Minister was awarded €300,000 by the Minister for Finance to do that work. When will it start and when can we expect a report? It is something that was in our charter and part of the Caring for Carers document I referenced earlier. All parties have prepared similar documents and this is something we all want. When will it happen?

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