Peter Roche (Galway East, Fine Gael)

I think all of us would have specific cases. Obviously, it would not be an avalanche by any manner of means, but we have people come to our constituency offices with those circumstances where they would be engaged full time in caring and their farm would be more of a financial burden than financially rewarding. They are doing the State a great service by providing care for their loved one.

The calculation, based on the number of acres and the numbers of livestock, sometimes prohibits them from gaining carer's allowance for their loved one. When I mentioned "rigid", that is what I am referencing. There is a perception, somehow or other, that if you have land and-or a small number of stock, the calculation is that you are doing all right and that you are outside of your means, but there needs to be greater flexibility with those instances that I am referencing.

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