Results 1-20 of 30 for carers speaker:Maria Byrne

Seanad: Family Carers: Motion [Private Members] (31 Jan 2024)

Maria Byrne: ...house only one day or two days per week on other occasions. It is now up and running full time and I acknowledge the Minister of State's personal commitment. The Government has done a lot for carers but I feel it can go further. I understand it is a work in progress and not everything can happen at one time. Carers keep so many people out of hospital. They are so dedicated to looking...

Seanad: Budget 2024 (Finance): Statements (10 Oct 2023)

Maria Byrne: ...has taken a great interest in. I welcome the fact we will see reductions. I hope brokers and insurance companies will pass them on to clients. I am almost of out time but on social welfare, I welcome the income disregard for carers. I have worked with carers on it for quite some time. People who are medically certified as not being able to drive will have free travel. That is welcome...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Social Welfare Eligibility (13 Jul 2023)

Maria Byrne: ...question is for the Minister for Social Protection and relates to means testing and the ongoing review. Means testing is necessary for many payments in the social welfare system. It applies for carers, people on jobseeker's allowance and pensioners. A man came to me recently and told me that he downsized and bought an apartment in a seaside area, which is taken as capital even though he...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Home Care Packages (11 May 2023)

Maria Byrne: ...State for attending to discuss this important issue, which is also health related and involves home care packages. People are not getting enough hours every day or week and there is a shortage of carers and trained people available to help. During Covid especially, we saw that keeping people in their own homes adds to longevity and that people survive better when they are in their own...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Home Care Packages (11 May 2023)

Maria Byrne: It is good that there are 1,000 extra carers in the system but there are still people who need more hours. Some people are getting half an hour of home care a day. Others only get care on a certain number of days each week. They do not get care on seven days, and some of them are badly in need of it. This puts pressure on family members and in some cases there are no family members and...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Mar 2023)

Maria Byrne: ...and householders, have suffered badly from the energy price increases. I call for the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, to come to the House for a debate. The other issue I raise concerns the plight of young carers, many of whom have put their lives on hold to look after loved ones who need care within the home. They do not qualify for many benefits, including entitlement to pension cover...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Challenges Facing Emergency Departments in Public Hospitals: HSE (17 Jan 2023)

Maria Byrne: I have one other question regarding older people. Has progress been made on work permits for carers from other countries? Is there any update on that? Many people are still waiting on more care hours or are waiting to be discharged from the hospital. They cannot go home because they have no one to look after them.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (4 Oct 2022)

Maria Byrne: I rise to acknowledge the fantastic work done by carers. I do not know if any other Senators heard "Drivetime" on RTÉ Radio 1 yesterday, where they interviewed a number of carers. We have to remember that one in every four carers is in receipt of carer's allowance or benefit. All the rest receive nothing. There are so many carers within the home who do not receive any payment.I think...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Sep 2022)

Maria Byrne: ...only entitled to a small grant towards fees but were not entitled to any maintenance grant. We really must look after people who are in low-paid jobs. In budget 2023 we need to look after people like carers and people with disabilities but also people who are engaged in upskilling and retraining. The individual I spoke to wants to upskill and retrain but is facing barriers as a result...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Jul 2022)

Maria Byrne: ...important areas in which I wish to see investment in budget 2021 are the provision of €2 million for specific day-care services, €2.3 million for therapeutic support and education for family carers and €10 million for dementia home care. Recently, Dublin Coach announced its withdrawal of a bus service between the city centre to the Castletroy-Annacotty area of...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Grant Payments (15 Jun 2022)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister for coming here today to discuss this all-important topic. I met recently with representatives from Young Carers Ireland. This is an issue that certainly impedes them. They are on social welfare and alongside their carer's payment, they are allowed to work 18.5 hours per week and study part-time. They are not entitled to the SUSI grant on the other side, however....

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Grant Payments (15 Jun 2022)

Maria Byrne: ..., it is an area he has a keen interest in. I thank him and his staff for the work they are doing in this area. I welcome the fact he is going to reform it. Returning to the situation with young carers, it is unfortunate. I am aware they will be able to increase their amount money or that the Minister will be bringing forward a proposal on the amount they can earn but the fact it is...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (31 Mar 2022)

Maria Byrne: I rise to raise a number of issues. The census has been referred to. Question 23 on the census form relates to carers. Whether you are a paid permanent carer or a carer in the home, you are asked how many hours you contribute to caring for your loved ones. It is really important that people answer that question. Saturday, 2 April, is World Autism Awareness Day, and the theme for this...

Seanad: Brain Health and Dementia: Statements (9 Mar 2022)

Maria Byrne: ...in the context of dementia. The importance of feeding the brain and making sure that it and the heart are healthy were two clear takeaway messages from the briefing. I pay tribute to the many carers who look after their loved ones at home. The longer we can keep people at home, the better. I welcome the increased funding and additional home care hours for people with dementia that the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Mar 2022)

Maria Byrne: I wish everybody a very happy International Women's Day. The reason I wish to speak about it is I have been working with many female carers, many of whom are agency workers. With the war going on and the increasing cost of fuel, they find the cost involved in driving from A to B is not making it very effective for them to work.The costs involved in driving from A to B is making working...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Feb 2022)

Maria Byrne: .... I rise today to draw the attention of the House to a study carried out by the University of Limerick. The study, which was actually carried out across 21 countries in Europe, looked at young carers aged between 11 and 18 and found that they are more likely to suffer from depression because they are carers. The study is really frightening.The University of Limerick has been very...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Disability Services (2 Feb 2022)

Maria Byrne: ...2019 and at that stage, seven children in the mid-west were awaiting permanent long-stay beds. I am working with a family who have a daughter aged 11 who is non-verbal and bedridden, and they have carers who come to the house. The family cares for their daughter in the best way possible but, unfortunately, as the girl gets older it is getting more difficult to provide care. The parents...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 Jan 2022)

Maria Byrne: ...other students had before the pandemic. I know the committee will meet tomorrow but I ask the Leader to consider giving her support to contacting the Minister, Deputy Foley, on this issue. Family Carers Ireland has today called on the Government to recognise carers in terms of the Covid bonus. I wish to lend my support to that campaign because carers have helped to keep so many people...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Nov 2021)

Maria Byrne: ...local authority areas. A young neighbour of mine, Clodagh Bennett, is an 18-year-old student in St. Pat's in Thurles. She is training to be a teacher but she also recently became Munster Young Carer of the Year. She helps with the care of her three siblings, who all have issues of their own. One or two of them have mental health issues and all are on the spectrum. What that young girl...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Sep 2021)

Maria Byrne: ...of the end of this week. The loss of such facilities creates fear among people. Older people are very upset because they cannot cope with banking online. Recently, I heard from people in Family Carers Ireland due to the approaching budget. I wish to state that carers provide a very adequate facility and help to keep many people in their homes. Carers also help to extend people's lives...