John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak to the motion and thank Deputy Penrose for bringing it forward. I welcome representatives from Family Carers Ireland to the Visitors Gallery. Sinn Féin has brought forward an amendment which I believe strengthens the motion. I hope all parties and none will read it and consider supporting it.

Carers are the backbone of our society and save the State €10 billion a year. Every day they look after and care for some of the most vulnerable citizens. In doing so, they ensure the person being cared for can remain in his or her own home, the place where he or she wants to be. The vision statement in the 2012 national carers strategy published by the Government stated:

Carers will be recognised and respected as key care partners. They will be supported to maintain their own health and well-being and to care with confidence. They will be empowered to participate as fully as possible in economic and social life.

They are nice words, but seven years on we must ask ourselves if carers feel recognised, respected, supported and empowered? When it comes to the social protection system, the very obvious answer to that question is “No”. Instead, they face many significant challenges in a system which should support and protect them. Qualifying for a carer’s payment is almost impossible. That is why the majority of the 355,000 carers receive no carer’s payment whatsoever. Why? The means test used to determine if a person will qualify for carer’s allowance is extremely rigid. It considers all household income of the carer based on gross income, essentially money a household never actually sees. It should be calculated on net income. The allowable deductions in the assessment of means also need to be extended to items such as mortgage repayments, rent payments, costs associated with dependent children and medical costs. Those who take up a caring role will always be impacted on financially. We can and should lessen the impact. Those who receive a carer’s payment are restricted in that they cannot qualify for secondary benefits such as the working family payment. They cannot work or study outside the home for more than 15 hours a week. That flies in the face of the vision statement. We should not tell carers what hours they can work or study outside the home. All caring roles are different and carers should be allowed to manage their own time. We should trust them to do so. Sinn Féin's amendment reflects this.

On returning to work or education after a caring role ceases, carers again face difficulties in that there is no intensive specific activation supports to assist them. We need to see existing schemes such as the local employment service and the community employment scheme resourced sufficiently to ensure carers are assisted in returning to work. They must have an opportunity to develop new skills, be assisted in updating their CVs and learn new interview techniques, with practical supports.

On retirement, when it comes to qualifying for the State pension, carers have been punished for having gaps in their PRSI records. The system overlooks care as a contribution, while placing the emphasis solely on contributions in paid employment. The motion makes no reference to carers and the State pension. The new total contributions approach should cater for carers and ensure the time they have taken out of the workforce to care for someone will be recognised as a contribution. We need to review the new approach to ensure it will benefit the very people it was introduced to help. The amendment would ensure that would happen.

The publication of a new national carers’ strategy is essential. The Minister of State has said he will not do this but will implement what has been proposed. There is a need for specific and dedicated funding, with timeframes to ensure Departments will meet their set objectives within a specific timeframe. Otherwise, the strategy is meaningless. The amendment would ensure this would happen.

Family Carers Ireland has told us that by 2030 one in five people will be a carer. A conversation is needed on what this will mean for employers and employees. The amendment calls for engagement between trade unions and key stakeholders representing employers, employees and carers on ways by which employers could better support employees with caring responsibilities, given the inevitable increase in the number of carers in the next ten years. We need to start this conversation now in order that we can plan for the increase.

While complimenting the work carers do and in recognising their valuable role in society, the challenges they face, as highlighted by them, are not being tackled. Far too many of them cannot access basic social welfare supports. They are limited in their caring role and punished financially, while, at the same time, saving the State billions of euro every year. Every day the Government tells us about the improving and growing economy, yet we are continuing to fail 355,000 carers. There is no longer a lack of funding available for the national carers strategy. That excuse can no longer be peddled by the Government. The strategy must be brought back to the table to be examined with carers and caring organisations. A new strategy must be published, with dedicated funding this year.

Carers have weathered the difficult economic storm and welcomed the national carers strategy seven years ago. They waited patiently for the Government to honour its commitment to review it in better economic times. This is the time to end the exploitation of carers who save the State billions of euro every year. I listened intently to the Minister of State’s statement.

It is full of applause for the carers but it lacks substance and commitment. It lacks a vision and a plan to help our carers. We owe that to them and we owe it to them now.

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