Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I wish to put to the Taoiseach a question about a legacy issue relating to the Citizens' Assembly which has not been dealt with but which is of great importance. I refer to the two ancillary recommendations that are essential to preventing crisis pregnancies. Those recommendations were put forward by the Citizens' Assembly on the eighth amendment to the Constitution. It is almost three years since those recommendations were made. They were backed up by the Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution, including by members of the Taoiseach's party. The basis of the recommendations is that there should be free contraception available to women and that there should be non-ethos-based sex education.

What has happened or will happen to those two recommendations that have been left lying undealt with? In light of that, what will happen with the important and fundamental incremental changes the Citizens' Assembly at the weekend recommended on the issue of care? The recommendations included: to improve the terms and conditions of those in paid employment as carers, to give them access to pensions, to ensure the choice in care and independence of older persons and persons with disabilities would be guaranteed and to change the carer's allowance, the respite and the pensions for carers and their families. This is a hugely important cohort of tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of family carers throughout this country who year on year save this State billions by looking after people in need with disabilities, elderly people with care needs and family members who they love. They give a huge amount of commitment but get no pension and no proper pay for doing an amazing job. Hats off to them and to the Citizens' Assembly for recommending the changes.

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