Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)

The Deputy raises a very important point. My Department's focus is on improving the income supports that are being made available to carers and improving the support that we as a Department can give to them. In terms of our aging population, we have to work with our colleagues in the Department of Health to ensure that we align all of our plans in this space. That is something I am more than happy to work on with the Minister for Health, Deputy Caroll MacNeill, in terms of a shared approach by both Departments. That would be a very worthy endeavour.

In our Department, we have carer's information. The Department of Health has information on needs, as the Deputy will know from his time in that Department, in terms of the health needs of the aging population and what will need. It would be very beneficial for both of us to work together in this space.

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