Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I too compliment the Regional Group for tabling this motion. It is an issue which we have all been pressing for ages. Carers and people who do home help and caring are the last vestige of humanity left in the HSE and the public health service. Everything else has been stripped away - all the supports such as community welfare are gone. These people need to be respected. As Deputy Healy-Rae said, they get into their cars, travel around and give their time lovingly and with dedication. They are interested in their clients - I do not want to call them "clients"; they are human beings. They keep them out of hospital. In many cases, family carers do it as well. Indeed, there is a huge incidence of children giving care to grandparents or parents. It is a shocking situation because it is against the law but a blind eye is turned. We need proper, meaningful supports for the people who give this care. It is time the Government acted on this.

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