Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Harkin and the Independent Group for bringing this very important motion before the House. I thank all the carers who do excellent work in County Kerry, especially the home carers. We talk about carers. When someone is caring for someone who needs a lot of care, they are actually living in their world for the 365 days and nights of every year. I know one particular man who raised a grand family and at the same time, saw after his sister. He is doing it today; he does it every day. He is on whatever payment he is on but he is only getting half-rate carer's allowance which is €180 per week for his efforts every year, throughout the years. The trouble then is respite. He is lucky to get one week of respite a year. He cannot go anywhere. He lives in his sister's world the whole time. What about the parents in their 80s who are caring for elderly children who are now in their 50s? These are people with physical and mental disabilities who cannot or will not ever be able to fend for themselves. Then we have a place like St. Mary of the Angels being closed down. As each patient dies, that bed is not being made available anymore. I had a situation a number of months ago where parents could not get their son into this place. Another lady could not get her daughter in and the option she was given was to take her daughter up to County Meath. That is the kind of system we have in this country.

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