Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas, a Chathaoirligh Gníomhach, as an am agus an deis a thabhairt dom. I welcome this motion from the Labour Party because it provides an opportunity to discuss the importance of family carers, particularly young carers. I particularly want to acknowledge Deputy Wall in proposing the motion. I also want to acknowledge the work of Family Carers Ireland and all of those referenced today, including Sarah Ann, Benjamin, Conor, Lucy, Noah and, equally important, all of those who have not been named but who do the work.

The Government recognises family carers as key enablers for Government policy to support people to live with dignity and independence in homes and communities of their choosing for as long as possible by providing vital care to some of our most vulnerable citizens. We know that family carers are the backbone of care provision in Ireland at all times and I appreciate that.

We know that between census 2016 and the most recent census in 2022 that the number of carers increased by 53% to 299,128, or 6% of the population, up from 4% in the previous census. Caring is not a gender-balanced profession. Around 61% of carers are women and 39% are men.

The motion speaks to the life impacts on a young person who cares for or helps to care for a family or a household member who has an illness, disability, mental health difficulties or problems with drugs or alcohol misuse. We are all incredibly appreciative of young carers and all that they do for brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers or other extended family members. There were, as has been referenced, an estimated 67,000 young people between the ages of ten and 17 providing regular care to a loved one in the home as per the The Irish Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study 2018. I accept, as the motion puts it, that the number is likely to be higher now, given the rise in the overall population.

Most of the work young carers do at home is at home and, therefore, is unseen and unheard by the wider world. I am conscious that Family Carers Ireland has an annual awards ceremony each year to recognise the contribution of young carers and to highlight the work that is done by young carers. I am very conscious that there are young carers who are not only looking after siblings with special needs but also simultaneously helping parents who have long-term illnesses.

We know that addressing the needs of carers, including young carers, falls to a number of different Government Departments and agencies across a breadth of policies and services. I would like to outline just some of the range of supports which are provided for carers, including young carers, across a number of these Departments. Before I do so, I would like to say that I have always been conscious of Rosalynn Carter, the former first lady and wife of the former US President Jimmy Carter, who was a particular champion of carers. She said, "There are only four kinds of people in the world: those who have been care givers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers and those who need a caregiver."

Our healthcare system is very dependent on the continuing supply of family carers and their importance will increase even further as people live longer lives and benefit from advances in medical care. With The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing showing that almost three quarters of care in the community is provided by family carers, it is a significant percentage of the population, and this includes young carers. The Government is committed to enhancing the financial supports available to them.

The Department of Social Protection administers both the carer's benefit and the carer's support grant which are available to young carers in need of financial support. The annual carer's support grant is available to family carers who provide full-time care and assistance, regardless of means or social insurance contributions, and may be paid to carers from the age of 16. This grant can be used for any purpose at the discretion of the carer and is not taxed. This is not available for any other grouping. As part of budget 2025, the carer's support grant will increase by €150 to €2,000, bringing it to its highest ever rate.

These supports are important because the report by the HSE's community healthcare west in 2023 on the needs of carers showed the demanding nature of the work of a carer. It found that 93% of carers in their study were stressed to some degree and 52% of carers felt so exhausted that they could not carry out their normal day-to-day activities. Almost half of carers in the study experienced problems with sleep within the past three days. No Government support on its own can address all of these challenges but it is important to have financial support in place for carers, including young carers.

A support that is available to carers at the age of 18 and over is a carer's benefit payment. Carer's benefit is a non-means tested payment made to ensure a payment for people who may be required to leave the workforce or reduce their working hours to care for someone in need of full-time care and attention. As part of budget 2025, carer's benefit will be extended to the self-employed for the first time and the earnings limit will be increased from €450 to €625 after tax. As part of budget 2025 and from January, there was a 12% increase in the weekly rates of carer's benefit and carer's allowance. This is the fourth successive rise in weekly welfare rates under this Government. Rates have increased by €41 over the past four years.

The Dormant Accounts Fund has been successful in directing funding towards valuable social purposes and I am pleased that through the Dormant Accounts Fund Action Plan 2024, the Department of Social Protection introduced a measure to support family carers, including young carers, to access employment, training and education supports to improve their current and future employment outcomes. Funding of €1.2 million has been allocated for this singular purpose.

I know from my own conversations with advocacy groups that the means test for the carer's allowance is something they would like to see removed. I was part of the team which negotiated the programme for Government and I am satisfied that it sets out a timeline which commits to significantly further increasing the income disregards for a carer's allowance in each budget, with a view to gradually phasing out the means test during the lifetime of the Government. As part of budget 2025, the weekly income disregard will increase in July from €450 to €625 for a single person and from €900 to €1,250 for carers with a spouse or partner.

The carers guarantee is the promise to have a core basket of services for carers across the country, regardless of where they live. Annual funding of €2.6 million is currently provided towards delivering this. The bulk of the funding, €2.44 million, is being provided to Family Carers Ireland to deliver a mix of community and individual supports across five areas of activity, including education and training, community carer support, intensive emergency supports, a freephone care line and psychological supports. The remaining €160,000 supports the development and delivery of online supports for more than 8,000 family carers through Care Alliance Ireland by means of an online support group.

Increase funding for the carers guarantee will also support the programme for Government commitment to increase support for carers by providing new training opportunities to support them in their caring role. We know from research that caring is physically and emotionally demanding and we also know that from our own engagement with carers. Young carers can put so much into it that they pay less attention, as we are aware and as was outlined, to their own physical and mental health needs. Family carers in Ireland continue to report having poorer health, less support and feeling more worried about their future than those without the same responsibilities. In recognition of the need to address this, a pilot of a family carer needs assessment tool has been carried out in HSE community healthcare west with a view to establishing a standardised mechanism for assessing carers needs and to improve access to supports.

GP visit cards are another important support for carers, and since September 2018 individuals in receipt of either a full or half-rate carer's allowance or carer's benefit are automatically eligible for a GP visit card.

The Department of Health also administers the national carers strategy. A review carried out by Care Alliance Ireland and University College Cork in 2021 of the national carers strategy found that more than 90% of carers feel the actions in the strategy were still relevant and wanted them retained. Before deciding on any future work to update the national carers strategy, consideration has been given by the Department of Health regarding the approach and the breadth of stakeholder consultation. The body of this motion concerns young carers, and I will be cognisant of that.

We all know that caring for family members can impose pressures on young carers. As I said, they have duties and decisions to make that would normally be the preserve of an adult. It can be even harder for them when they are unable to spend as much time as they would like with friends who may not have the same caring responsibilities, or when they have to sacrifice some of their own interests and hobbies. The well-being of all in the school community, including young carers, is a priority for my colleague, the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and the Department of Education.

During my time as Minister for Education I introduced a landmark programme of counselling supports in all primary schools in counties Cavan, Laois, Leitrim, Longford, Mayo, Monaghan and Tipperary. I extended this pilot project last year to 61 urban DEIS primary schools in Tallaght, Clondalkin, Finglas, Ballymun and Darndale. This counselling pilot allows experienced counsellors to work in the schools for the duration of the pilot with blocks of up to six counselling sessions for a small number of children in the school. Schools have the freedom to recommend the children who need this counselling and, in many cases, it may be children who have experienced trauma or a recent bereavement, but I believe the counselling may also be an important support for some young carers.

It is important to point out that in relation to my own Department specialist disability services are aimed, in the first instance, at providing the right services and supports to enable people with special service needs live as independently as possible. That can reduce the care needs for people with disabilities and relieve the responsibilities of young family carers.

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