Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

We all know from our work as constituency Deputies that many families are providing this care, that this is a support that the State cannot do without and the depth of their commitment and the depth of the need of their commitment requires that degree of constitutional recognition and also the legal protection that the obligation to strive maintains. To that point, in terms of the use of "shall strive", again, it is a recognition that the achievement of the obligation is progressive. It will not be, nor does anyone believe it will be, solved immediately. The obligation of the State to support family carers, if this amendment is made, will be in our Constitution. It is a progressive obligation recognising the degrees of support need to increase. However, fundamentally, that is a legal obligation. It is a legal valuing of care that is not in our Constitution right now and I believe is very worthy of support.

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