Joe O'Toole (Independent)

I exhort the Deputy Leader to make a statement and bring to the Minister's attention the question of carer's allowance and the preservation of income, rights and supports for carers. The Minister has made a worthy attempt to limit the number of people going to hospital and to establish primary care, with the emphasis on community care, but we should not proceed with those policies, on which huge money has been spent, unless we support carers. Carers are vital in supporting invalids who wish to remain in their own homes. The provision of this service is cost-neutral. Great savings are made in paying carers rather than paying for institutional care.