Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am specifically asking the Minister why he decided to exclude carers from this bonus. We know there was a real-life impact on the lives of family carers. Many carers approached me, as I am sure they did the Minister, during the course of the pandemic to explain just how difficult the loss of services had been for them and not only how hard it was for them then but how it has had a long-term impact on them. Carers told me of the severe sleep disruption experienced by those who they care for and how at some points the entire family functioned on almost no sleep or very little sleep. They told me how the lack of services caused significant emotional distress and frustration for some of the most vulnerable in our society with some injuring themselves and others doing so accidentally by sheer frustration. This was a daily life faced by many carers during the many months of lockdown. I am at a loss as to why carers have been excluded.

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