Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the debate and support the motion. When we hear the Department of Finance talking about it costing a certain amount if we were to get rid of the means test, if these carers decided to look at putting their loved ones into a nursing home, it would cost the State €1,100 every week. Those are the facts of it. They are actually saving the State about €800 to €900 every week. I have been in the House for ten or 11 debates on carers and everyone agrees but the problem is that nothing is changing.

Where a youngster wants to go to college, they could be near a college, help their loved one in the morning, come home in the middle of the day and then leave them, but just because they are going to college and because of this means test and the way it is done, they are told they do not fit the criteria because they have to be there caring for so many hours. Even though there is more than 140 or however many hours in a week, the belief is that because they are gone for the few hours, they are not entitled to this allowance. That is not the way to look after people. Second, we see day in, day out people giving up their jobs, but someone belonging to them could have a fairly good job, so under this means test they are ruled out straight away.

I cannot for the life of me understand how the Department of Finance throws it out every time a debate of this kind is going on that it will cost us over a billion. I read in the newspaper last week or the week before that we as a country are prepared to throw €700 million to Europe out of our kitty for arms or for basically boosting Europe but we are not prepared to look after the people who are helping others in this country. As a Dáil and as a people, we should be looking at ourselves and deciding which we should put first. Should we put first, reward, help and recognise those who sacrifice their own lives by helping others and, in that way, help the State? We are not giving them the opportunity or the recognition they deserve. Everyone who stands up in this House will talk about carers and all the great work they do, but at the end of the day, it is about pounds, shillings and pence. That is what keeps you going. There is no point walking into a shop and saying "I am a great person because I look after my parents". That does not get you food or help you pay rent.

We should decide once and for all. I would say it is the 11th or the 12th debate in this House about carers I have been involved in. Everyone goes out the door and we move on. There will be another one if a few month's time and everyone will stand up. It is time now the Government decided it is going to do something or it is not. It is recognised under the programme for Government that something will be done, but how long is a piece of string? The programme for Government is five years. Is it going to be in June or July or will it be in June or July in four and a half year's time? These are the things that need answering. Enough debating has been done about it. Everyone knows the problem. It is about the Department of Finance deciding to put the funding that is required in the budget.

I would vote for it an awful lot sooner than I would decide to throw €700 million to Europe for arms or something. We need to make sure we look after our own people. There are many things in this country we need to address - homelessness, carers, a lot of stuff - and some people do not even have a house. You would swear we were printing money for other things.

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