Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)

It is 300. The report found that of an estimated 3,000 young carers who were providing some care, there were over 300 between the ages of 15 and 17 who were providing full-time care. It is obviously a bit of both.

In terms of income support for young carers, the respite care grant is payable from the age of 16 and the carer's allowance is payable from the age of 18. Deputy Stanton and I have debated this issue over the years. People of this age should not have to do this kind of work. If one is aged 15 to 17, one's place is in school and one should not be sucked into this situation. However, in the real world, there are 300 carers who have been sucked into it.

Successive Ministers took the view that if a carer's allowance is paid to a 15 year old, this does not solve the problem. It arguably makes it worse because it enables the 15 year old to continue to do the caring when the solution is to ensure the 15 year old does not have to do it by developing home help, home care and public health nurse services, and home care packages and support so the 15 year old can go to school. Many of the 3,000 involved are caring after school, in the evening and at weekends, which is why the respite care grant is paid from the age of 16.

I will recommend strongly to the national carer's strategy process that it would address this issue with some vigour because it is not fair to the persons being cared for or those doing the caring to find even 300 people in this situation.