Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Government is committed to improving the supports for carers. Nobody disputes the Senator's bone fides in this. We all deal with these in our constituencies on a weekly basis. The Government is committed to improving services for family carers to enable them to continue caring in confidence and the continued implementation of the cross-departmental national carers' strategy.

The programme for Government commits to providing a carer’s guarantee, ensuring a core basket of services is available to carers across the country, in tandem with the community and voluntary sector. The Department of Health is engaging with the HSE and representative groups.

Promoting better awareness and understanding of the needs of family carers is also crucial to ensuring we develop appropriate services for carers. Officials in the Department of Health actively engage with carers' representative groups and with family carers through the annual carers’ forum.

Our commitment to family carers is laid out in an ambitious programme for Government. Both my colleagues, the Ministers of State, Deputies Rabbitte and Butler, have devolved responsibilities in these areas as well. The points the Senator raised cross the remits of all three Ministers of State, Deputies Feighan, Butler and Rabbitte. I will bring the points that the Senator has raised to the attention of all three of them.