Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join colleagues in thanking the Seanad staff for their courtesy and kindness since the election. I wish everyone a very happy break for the few weeks we are in recess. In recent months we have gone through a pandemic and had major issues to deal with. Carers are one of the sectors of society whose members have come to me to say how upset and annoyed they are at how they were dealt with during the pandemic. While other people received the pandemic unemployment payment, PUP, of €350 per week, carers were entitled to only €219 and no additional payment. That became a huge issue for people who were working twice as hard as usual because the usual services were not open. They felt they were not being listened to.

The situation of carers is an issue I have raised with the Minister with a view to having it addressed. The contribution of carers to our society is absolutely amazing and we have not talked enough about the trauma they have endured over the past four months. It is one of the key things we need to look at now that services are reopening and children and adults with intellectual disabilities are going back to their services. With regard to transport, for example, many service users were transported by taxi in groups of two or three. Now those taxis will be able to carry only one passenger at a time. I have a case in Bandon where a person who would usually pay €8 a day for a taxi has been asked to pay €40, which adds up to €120 for the three days per week this person goes to services. This is an example of the kind of lack of joined-up thinking that is causing major frustration for people in communities throughout the country. Not only do carers feel they were not really looked after during the pandemic but when it comes to enabling children and adults with disabilities to go back to their services, they are not being looked after either.We need to have what I would call a real debate on the issue of carers, the way they are looked after in our society and the amount of work they do. They are true heroes and we have to do more for them. A debate next September on our future strategy in that regard is very important. I ask the Leader to put that on the agenda and that when we return in September it is one of the main priorities of this House.