Seanad debates

Wednesday, 28 March 2007

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2007: Committee Stage

 

3:00 pm

Sheila Terry (Fine Gael)

I agree with the Minister that we need to address this problem. To have 3,000 people caring for so many hours of the week and to have 300 caring full time is unacceptable. No child should have to do this and give up his or her education and social life. The children who do this are wonderful, but that is what they are in this context — children. We are depriving them of an awful lot. This could be easily solved by providing services to the family in terms of home help and whatever other services they require to enable children to have the freedom to attend school, get out to play and do the things any normal teenager would be doing.

Nothing is easy but this is not a difficult area to resolve for 300 families. When the strategy is put in place, I hope the matter will be quickly dealt with. We should not let another year pass in which any child must stay at home to look after a parent. I agree with the Minister's sentiments and would like to see progress made.

I hope the carers will not be disappointed that the forum is being postponed, which is a good idea. I am sure they will be understanding of the reasoning behind this.

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