Results 1-12 of 12 for carers speaker:Garret Ahearn

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Nov 2023)

Garret Ahearn: ...my condolences to all her family. I welcome the announcements this week from the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Heather Humphreys regarding the once-off payments, in particular, the €400 carer support grant, the €200 living alone lump sum, and €100 qualified child lump sum. This is another tranche of once-off payments that were agreed in the budget by the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 May 2023)

Garret Ahearn: ...call is for accountability in the HSE. There is a feeling from people who work in autism that there is no accountability in the HSE service. The third is for an increase in the payment to family carers. At the moment a person gets about €1.40 an hour. Cara's mother, Noelle, has a degree and a PhD. She is fully qualified but had to give up her profession to care for Neil and...

Seanad: Budget 2023 (Public Expenditure and Reform): Statements (27 Sep 2022)

Garret Ahearn: ...and welcome. Householders throughout the country know the budget that has been delivered puts money back in people's pockets. It is as simple as that. The three areas I will focus on relate to carers, pensioners and childcare. Carers will very much welcome the announcement of a direct payment to them of €500. This is to recognise the increased costs family carers face and the...

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

Garret Ahearn: ...extra hours for home help for people with dementia. I agree with what loads of people said today. I only have a minute and a half to speak so I will focus on one topic in terms of home help and carers. The work they provide is phenomenal. I have seen it myself. My uncle passed away last year from dementia and the care he received was phenomenal. We need more people, however. We need...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2021: Second Stage (16 Dec 2021)

Garret Ahearn: ...that I cannot cover it in my allocated time, so I will point out and acknowledge just a couple of aspects. The first relates to the Christmas bonus. It is welcome that will be delivered to pensioners, carers, lone parents and people with disabilities. The small but important changes the Minister has made in that regard, reducing it from 15 to 12 months, will make a huge difference....

Seanad: Budget 2022: Statements (12 Oct 2021)

Garret Ahearn: ...a top-quality service. Childcare providers need the support of the Government and today's budget shows the priority we will attach to childcare in the coming years, which is welcome. It is important to acknowledge carers and the supports we have announced for them. For the first time since 2008, the income threshold for carers has been raised. The income disregard for carer's allowance...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Care Services (7 Oct 2021)

Garret Ahearn: ...of State to the Chamber. I appreciate his presence. I welcome the announcement yesterday by the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Humphreys, of €308,000 to fund digital training for carers to assist them in gaining employment, the appointment of a new well-being manager and investment under the Dormant Accounts Fund to make European carers day. In fairness, this investment...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Care Services (7 Oct 2021)

Garret Ahearn: ...talking about are essentially in the programme for Government and all I ask is that we implement the programme for Government over the next number of years. That is a genuine request from Family Carers Ireland and we should do what we say we will do. As the Minister of State said, €2 million was ring-fenced last year. That is welcome, but how we fund and spend that is the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Fuel Poverty (28 Sep 2021)

Garret Ahearn: ...the costs. The fuel allowance is based on age, income and social welfare payments. I give the example of a couple that contacted me recently. They were claiming a pension and she was on half-rate carer's allowance. Their income was €601 a week. Their cut-off was €575. They pay €140 on health insurance and the husband has dementia. If the means test was to rise...

Seanad: Carer's Allowance: Motion (10 May 2021)

Garret Ahearn: ...lives that the country will save, on the back of that, in the next number of years. I welcome the opportunity to speak on this motion. On Friday, I had the opportunity to meet Clare Duffy, Family Carers Ireland and a person that the Acting Chairperson knows quite well, Councillor Richie Molloy in Clonmel who does an awful lot of work for family carers. I had a very good discussion with...

Seanad: Mental Health and Covid-19: Statements (12 Feb 2021)

Garret Ahearn: ..., we need to be prepared for that and we need to be able to ring-fence funding for the impact that will be felt post-Covid-19. I was speaking to Councillor Richie Molloy who is very involved with carers. Research shows the impact of Covid-19 on young carers, in particular. I know the Minister of State has a role in that as well and that is important too. Beyond 2021 - everyone is hoping...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2020: Second Stage (14 Dec 2020)

Garret Ahearn: ...they need support and we are supporting them. The disability allowance increased by €20 from €120 to €140. This is important and it is another statement that we want to support people. The carer's support grant has increased by €150 from €1,700 to €1,850. This is very welcome in the community. Councillor Richie Molloy in Clonmel does an awful...