John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I thank Senators Buttimer and McFadden for raising the issue. I apologise that the Minister for Health and Children is unable to attend to deal with this matter. I will read the response on her behalf.

Caring for another person, especially on a full-time basis, can have a huge impact on the carer and on his or her family. While it can be a very rewarding experience, it often involves sacrifices for the carers and their families, particularly in employment opportunities. It can also affect the carer's own health. While the work of carers can be unseen, the important and valuable role played by them in society has been extensively recognised by Government in recent years.

I appreciate that it has been disappointing for carers and the people for whom they care that the Government was not in a position to publish a strategy at this time. The Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Deputy Hanafin, and the Minister of State, Deputy Hoctor, met with some of their representatives at the time to inform them of the difficult decision taken by Government. Faced with the current economic situation, it has not been possible to set targets or timelines which can be achieved in the near future. Publishing a strategy would be making false promises to carers and carers deserve better than that. It is important to be honest in the commitments we make. The Government made a commitment to the social partners and to the carer representative groups at the outset that a national carers' strategy would not be just a paper exercise. While much work was done by the interdepartmental working group in 2008, including the production of a number of drafts covering the areas outlined in the terms of reference, a final text, including a list of recommendations, was not completed by the working group. It is therefore not possible to isolate a set of so called non-financial aspects.

I wish to reiterate on behalf of the Government that it is acutely aware of the sacrifices made by carers and has sought to make many improvements in services and supports for carers. By way of dealing with the income supports, in budget 2009, the rate of carer's allowance for those aged 66 or over was increased by €7 to €239 per week and for those aged under 66 by €6.50 to €220.50 per week. These increases took effect from January 2009. Recipients of carer's allowance are also eligible for household benefits and free travel and the respite care grant.

Since 1997, weekly payment rates to carers have greatly increased, qualifying conditions for carer's allowance have significantly eased, coverage of the scheme has been extended and new schemes such as carer's benefit, half-rate carer's allowance and the respite care grant have been introduced and extended. The means test for carer's allowance has been significantly eased over the years and is now one of the most generous means tests in the social welfare system, most notably with regard to spouse's earnings. Since April 2008, the income disregard has been €332.50 per week for a single person and €665 per week for a couple. This means a couple with two children can earn in the region of €37,200 and qualify for the maximum rate of carer's allowance as well as the associated free travel and household benefits. A couple with an income in the region of €60,400 can still qualify for a minimum payment, as well as the associated free travel and household benefits package. These levels surpass the Towards 2016 commitment to ensure that those on average industrial earnings continue to qualify for a full carer's allowance.

From June 2005, the annual respite care grant was extended to all carers who are providing full-time care to a person who needs such care, regardless of their income. The rate of the respite care grant has also been increased to €1,700 per year in respect of each care recipient since June 2008. In June 2006, the number of hours for which a person can engage in employment, self-employment, education or training and still be considered to be providing full-time care for the purposes of carer's allowance, carer's benefit and the respite care grant was increased from ten to 15 hours per week. It is estimated that the combined expenditure on carer's allowance, carer's benefit, the respite care grant and half-rate carers will be €650 million in 2009.

We must also acknowledge that carers need more than just income support, and in particular, they need community health services to assist them in their caring role. The Government's objective of continued development of community-based services for older persons is reflected in the funding given to the system in recent times. The total additional funding allocated for such services by the Department of Health and Children was in excess of €210 million over the three year period 2006 to 2008, which included, for example, €120 million given for the new home care package initiative, and €55 million new funding to expand the home-help scheme nationally.

In 2009, the HSE will continue to promote community and home-based services, which directly benefit both clients and carers around the country, and expects to provide, for example, in the region of 12 million home-help hours, benefiting over 54,000 people; 4,700 home care packages, benefiting around 11,500 people; and 21,500 day-respite care places.

Another important service for carers is the ability to take a break from caring. In this regard, very significant residential respite care continues to be provided in public community nursing units, including community hospitals and long stay residential units across the country. There are over 700 designated respite care beds provided nationally in these units. It is estimated that approximately 19,000 people benefit over the course of a full year, based on an average length of stay of two weeks per person. The HSE is involved in working closely with carer organisations in supporting older people in their own communities through service level agreements with a view to delivering services both nationally and locally within its budget and overall health policy priorities. For example, in 2008 an additional allocation of almost €2 million was provided between the Alzheimer's Society and the Carers Association.

The Department of Social and Family Affairs and the Department of Health and Children, including the Health Service Executive, are committed to providing support and services for carers and to working with the carer representative groups to deliver services in a more effective way.