Maria Corrigan (Fianna Fail)

I again ask the Minister of State to take this point on board.

I greatly welcome the much-needed report on young carers, which raises serious issues for Members, not least with regard to child well-being issues. I am highly conscious that it also is very difficult for those people for whom young people are caring. Such people are conscious that they are asking their sons or daughters to do things they never dreamed they would be obliged to ask of them. They always had seen themselves in their roles as parents or as the people who would provide the care, rather than being its recipient. This brings its own difficulties. As society ages, an increasing number of older people are adopting the role of carers. It also is beginning to become evident that, for example, in the area of people with intellectual disability, some people with intellectual disability are becoming the carer for older parents, which brings with it its own issues.

Finally, I refer to practical supports, apart from financial or respite assistance, whereby a commitment was given to training. Carers are asked to undertake practices, procedures and aspects of care that no one who was employed to carry out such task would do without the requisite training, whether it be in respect of manual handling or safe lifting. I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for his indulgence.