Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is unacceptable that carers have to wait until next July, six months after everybody else, to get their increases. We can all be patronising and talk about what they do but they need the money now, not next July or August.

Fully abolishing the carer's allowance means test is recommended by research from the National University of Ireland, Maynooth. That is crucial. Once-off payments are insufficient to make lasting changes or a real difference for carers. The means test is the problem. A change of government may be necessary to see that happen; I believe it will.

During Covid, the Government said €350 per week was the minimum a person would need to survive.

Even with the increase in carer's allowance, carers will only get €260 per week, so the Minister cannot have her cake and eat it. During Covid the Government said it was €350 at a minimum but now carers are expected to live on €260. That is the situation. This is about the means test and fact the Government is paying lip service, which it has said itself, and the way it misused the carers in their botched, wasteful referendums. They were threatened that if they did not go out and lobby for it their money might be caught; that was in inverted commas and not definite.

Also, St. Brigid's Hospital in Carrick-on-Suir will not open as a hospital ever again thanks to the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, and the Minister, Deputy Donnelly. The respite beds are so badly needed. In addition, three palliative care beds were funded by the community there and the money has not been paid back to the community.

See this speech in context