Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I would like to thank Senator Boyhan for raising the matter. Family carers play a crucial role in the provision of care at home to elderly, disabled, and ill loved ones. The Government is committed to support carers in their caring role, and alleviate the financial burden of caring through a range of healthcare and income supports. The National Carers' Strategy represents a whole-of-Government response to the challenges faced by family carers, and sets out the strategic direction for future policies, services, and supports provided by Government Departments and agencies for carers. The strategy is designed around a core vision which recognises and respects carers as key care partners who are supported to maintain their own health and well-being, care with confidence, and empowered to participate as fully as possible in economic and social life.

The Government has increased expenditure on carers allowance, carers benefit, carers support grant, and all ancillary care allowances by 20% since 2016. These payments offer an important source of income support for those caring for a family member due to old age or disability. The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection expects that spending on these payments in 2019 will amount to more than €1.2 billion.

In budget 2020 an increase in homecare credit was announced, raising the credit from €100 to €1,600. In addition, the number of hours that carers can work or study outside the home is being increased from 15 hours to 18.5 hours per week with effect from January 2020. More than 1,200 carers are expected to benefit from this change at a cost of €11.6 million.

Identifying carers and their needs as early as possible is of critical importance if they are to be supported in their caring role. The Department of Health has secured funding from the Dormant Accounts Fund for a pilot of the carers needs assessment tool, which will be progressed next year. The tool will be a key step in helping to identify carers at all stages and will also play a role in identifying the supports required. Funding from the Dormant Accounts Fund has also been secured for information and training support for family carers, which assists carers to provide the best care possible to the care recipient, reduce the risk of injury to the carer and care recipient, and help family carers cope with the emotional and psychological aspects of their role. Funding has also been made available to provide for the dissemination of resource information for family carers, the development of support networks, and support groups to assist with the transition back into social and economic life at the end of the caring role and measures that assist in promoting carer self-identification.

Supports for the cared-for person are also vital in many ways. The needs of the carer are interlinked with the cared-for person. Budget 2020 allocated additional funding for disability services, including supports for school leavers, autism services, emergency residency protocols and respite. The total disability service budget will exceed €2 billion in 2020.The Department of Health has committed to an additional investment of €52 million in budget 2020 for older persons to bring the total funding for home supports to €487 million, providing 777,000 more home support hours than the 2019 target.

The increased investment in the benefits and supports for family carers I have outlined reflect the Government's serious commitment to looking after people who spend their time caring for others and maintaining the level of supports available.

I assure the Senator that I will do justice to his sincere and genuine comments by conveying them back to the Minister. I know she will appreciate them. I agree with the Senator; any positive examples of good practice should always be acknowledged, highlighted and recognised as such as a reminder to everybody else.