Pauline O'Reilly (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Seery Kearney and the Fine Gael group for bringing this motion forward. It is timely and important following the Covid-19 pandemic. On many occasions I have found myself saying in the House that Covid-19 has had a huge impact on a particular section of society. It is absolutely true that it has deeply impacted those on the margins of society in ways we will be addressing for some time to come.

However, when it comes to those who are cared-for as mentioned in this motion, such as older persons, vulnerable adults and children with additional needs, this is where we see the true extent of the impact of Covid-19. Not only are those who have been at home, at high risk of infection and in need of social contact the most vulnerable to the effects of the pandemic, they are also those who rely on the hospital and primary healthcare system, front-line healthcare workers and home carers more than any other section of society. Undoubtedly, this sector and these workers have felt the pinch dealing on all fronts with the health of the nation over the last year. That is also the case for all those who have relied on these services, the cared-for and the carers. In many cases, these categories of people overlap. Sometimes the cared-for are the carers and sometimes the carers are the cared-for at different stages in life, as the Senator alluded to. The time to implement all the content on healthcare in the programme for Government is here.

One of the most commendable things about this year's Citizens' Assembly on gender equality was that it spent much of its time on the place of caring in Irish society. It is no wonder, because women carry out the majority of care work. There is space for more men to engage in it. I have always said that if one gives full respect to caring work and gives it a high status in Irish society, it is only then that one will see more men in the sector. A recommendation to recognise care in the home and community, and to support it financially, and to replace but not remove a recognition of care work in the Constitution was a revolutionary outcome of the Citizens' Assembly.It is an element I had fought for for years along with many others. The fact it was carried out during the pandemic probably had a real impact on that Citizens' Assembly. Similarly revolutionary was the work the assembly did when it went beyond recognising carers to recognise those who are also contributors to society, namely, those who are cared for. We need to provide housing and jobs for every person and to ensure everyone can contribute in ways that suit their unique abilities. That is a truly healthy and caring society.

The Citizens' Assembly said: "Ensure choice in care and independence for older persons and persons with disabilities." What does "choice" mean in this context? It means transport that can be used by everyone, universal design in buildings, supporting independent living financially and otherwise and the full range of educational and job opportunities. When it comes to care, it is clear that those who do some of the most invisible and important work in our society struggle to make ends meet. The report published last year, in the midst of the pandemic, by Family Carers Ireland, showed 21% of carers had cut back on essentials such as groceries and heat to make ends meet. The Government is tackling this but it must do more. Investing in warmer homes so the most vulnerable in society are protected against energy poverty is a key commitment of the Green Party. We need to scale up apprenticeships, reinvest in construction and ensure no one has to live in a cold home in this State. That is just one element.

Apart from that, on an ongoing basis, there are key opportunities to ensure the half a million carers and their families are supported. The State this year is investing in financial family supports but only 44,000 people receive the full allocation of carer's allowance. An income of less than €37,000 per year before tax is required to hit the target for carer's allowance. We have to address income disregard, which has not changed since 2008. It must be decreased and the carer's allowance must be increased. There are many commitments in the programme for Government and I believe they can make a big difference to the lives of carers. Some are being advanced, such as record funding for special needs education, but we need to see faster action on other areas, such as the roll-out of GP visit cards. What flows from all this and where gender comes back to play its part is that carers are not entitled, as of right, to a pension. I hope, as a member of a Government party, that the commission on pensions will report soon and we will see action on that.

As with many things in this country, there is also a postcode lottery, which Senator Mullen spoke about, when it comes to supports. The carers guarantee in the programme for Government should address this. This was also proposed by Family Carers Ireland in 2019 to see a stepping-up of respite care.

The kind of society we must look at is one which does not talk about paid work as the only kind of work. It is one where everyone is valued for the contribution they make. Sometimes it saves the State money; sometimes it makes the State money. All the things in the programme for Government are positive and welcome but we need to step up and roll everything out.