Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)

I thank the Minister for being here and for his contribution. We are starting to see a trend across the House in the words we are using about carer's allowance. It comes down to choices. The Minister has spoken about the idea that he cannot abolish the means test now. I take issue with that. The Government can do it but it chooses not do. As he will agree, family carers make an invaluable contribution to our communities and society, providing full-time care to family members with disability, chronic illness and age-related care needs, often at great personal, financial and emotional cost. Back in 2011, the Minister said: "[t]he coverage of social welfare is frequently reduced to soundbites and slogans targeted at particular audiences, depending on the speaker's particular political view." He further said: "The Department, as one of the most important Ministries in expenditure terms, should be the lead Department in breaking the cycle of poverty." I have no doubt the Minister meant those words at the time and given the opportunity he would say and mean them again. However, now the big difference is that he has the opportunity. This Government has the opportunity to meaningfully address structural poverty.

I appreciate that the Minister mentioned child poverty levels and different stresses on his Department in terms of costs. We need to know how this Government intends to break the cycle of structural inequality and poverty in Ireland. It is his commitment to abolish the means test for carers.

Carers deserve the rightful acknowledgement of the value of their role in our society. In the Minister's words again, the media attention given to the Department of Social Protection needs to reflect its importance in government, and more importantly, the lead role it and the Minister can play should they choose in rebuilding society. We are back to that word "choices". We firmly believe in it and are offering constructive proposals about how we could abolish the means test for carers now. If not now, why? If not now, when?

See this speech in context