Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am delighted to be able to come into the House and support the motion tabled by Sinn Féin. It is very important that we put in place measures for family carers once and for all. Carers will tell one that this is not about them but about the people for whom they are caring. Carers are not selfish people. They are not seeking sympathy. They are not seeking platitudes and soft talk about how good they are. They are quiet, loyal and loving. They care for people and they believe that they are being neglected and left alone.

Figures of between €10 million and €20 million have been bandied about in terms of what this support means to the State. It does not matter because the State is saving an enormous amount of money and a major service is being provided on its behalf.

We have to do some very simple things to help family carers. I am sure the Minister and the Minister of State who are present have received many queries about people who applied for carer's allowance but who have had to wait 15 to 18 weeks for decisions on their applications. If the decision is to refuse an application for carer's allowance, there is a review and an appeals process. The person spends approximately six months without any income wondering whether he or she will get one. Meanwhile, he or she provides the service. That is wrong. If there is one action we must take after this debate it is to make it binding that the process of evaluating an application for carer's allowance is concluded within four weeks. If we did that, we would be doing a service to family carers. There is no excuse for the process to which I refer. It is just one that has built up.

The other issue that has come to my attention relates to parents who are caring for children and the fact that there are no overnight respite services in County Galway. If a family member or parents need to get a break away for one night, they might have to bring their child to Limerick for the night and then take the rest of the night off. However, there is no respite in having to drive down, get everything sorted out and drive back again. I am aware that the HSE is looking at this matter. I urge the Ministers to make sure that it is not just looked at but that we put in place overnight respite services for children in Galway as a matter of urgency.

Last night's announcement in respect of vaccinations was probably a kick in the teeth to family carers. Without any warning or consultation, their entire vaccination process was taken away under them. No more than that relating to teachers or gardaí, this issue has been dealt with in a poor way. It should have been communicated to those people and to Family Carers Ireland before journalists put the news out and informed them. I do not agree with it. What was being done for those cohorts needed to be done, and still needs to be done.

I wish to refer briefly to the "RTE Investigates" programme . There is a bad smell from all of that. I believe that what was shown reflects the attitude that prevails within Departments about children with autism. I deplore what is going on because it breaks the confidentiality aspect and wrecks the GP code of ethics and the professional nature in which they are supposed to work. It should not be tolerated. We should not have to defend it. We should stop it and apologise for it immediately.

Family carers are at the heart of our discussion but if we simply talk about them, we are not doing anything other than offering soft talk. As politicians, there is an onus on us to make sure that we leave a legacy to family carers by treating them with the respect that they, and the people they are caring for, deserve.

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