Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State is welcome to the House. This is my first time to address him in this House since his elevation. I congratulate him on that. There is no better man for the job, and I can honestly say that.

I thank Senator Seery Kearney for bringing this motion to the House. The first part of it is extremely informative in setting out the number of people who are tied up as carers in this country. The word "carer" is such a simple little word but when one digs behind it and sees what is involved, one finds children are looking after parents today who see things they should never see from a parent. They have to look after their every need, and that is frightening. There are people looking after parents or elderly people who are suffering from the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia and, in some cases, there is violence involved in those relationships and they are extremely difficult for all involved. There are people in need of care who resist it when the carers first start to call to see them and who are determined to live independently even though they are no longer able to do that. The disruption that causes to a family is unbelievable. Ultimately, it usually is a gender based issue. One of the sisters, daughters or the mother takes responsibility for the care. It is extremely difficult.

I recall when my mother was in the later stages of living outside a nursing home, my sisters took it in turns to look after her. Every night one of them was with her. It became extremely difficult on all of their lives. My younger brother, now deceased, God rest him, decided he would give them a bit of respite and would hire nurses to look after my mother at night. In a short period of six months €50,000 was spent. That is the cost of caring and that is the cost families carry all the time. We talk about people caring 24-7 and that runs off the tongue very easily, but 24-7 is just that. Carers are getting up in the middle of the night with difficult children trying to get them back to bed. There was a documentary sometime ago that covered the care of a child who smashed up the house regularly in the middle of the night. That is caring but that is the type of caring none of us was ever meant to have to undertake.The things that Senator Seery Kearney is looking for are simple but one of the most important is respite for the carers so that the carers can get away and have some time to themselves. You can never have enough money and the notion of bringing in a pension for carers is vitally important.

My colleagues have spoken about people who have given up careers. I hate to harp on the issue of gender but generally it is a daughter who gives up a career and comes home. Some of them might have been working in Dublin. Years ago, when we were young, a girl working in Dublin had to come back to Galway to look after her mother or father. I recall one specific instance where a carer was looking after a relative and when the relative died, she had substantial funds and did not leave one cent to the carer. She left it all to other members of the family. How do you answer that?

I appreciate what Senator Seery Kearney is trying to do here. I hope that the motion passes. I note the amendments tabled by my colleague, Senator Frances Black, and I support them in the main, but I am not sure if she will go to a vote on this. I implore the Minister of State to do anything possible for carers while we still have a few bob in the economy. It has been a tough time for the economy but remember that when lockdown is lifted, they will still be locked down long after the rest of us are free to live our normal lives again. I think of a couple who have a child who needs 24-hour care, because it destroys relationships. Many relationships break down where one partner or the other cannot live with the outcome of a catastrophic situation such as this where full-time care is needed. I will leave it at that. I thank the Minister of State for being here and listening. I thank Senator Seery Kearney for tabling the motion, which I appreciate.