Lorraine Clifford-Lee (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator O'Loughlin, who has plenty more to say on this issue. I appreciate the work she has put into this, and that of the women's caucus. It is a very important motion. It is very long but contains so many facets. It is very important that we have the conversation because, as she outlined and is mentioned in the motion, care is very gender based. There is unpaid and paid care. Both forms of care are rarely mentioned. There is low pay in the paid care sector, which involves predominantly women in very precarious employment situations who are often on zero-hour contracts. It is very important that we have a conversation but also have action following that conversation because we could be going around talking among ourselves. I see it is all female Members who have shown up for the debate. That tells a story as well, unfortunately.

Senator O'Loughlin outlined how, during the Covid pandemic, we saw the impact carers have in society and how the lack of access to care services in the community impacted on families. I have spoken to many families down through the years, particularly during Covid, who were at breaking point. They were at breaking point before Covid but it tipped many of them over the edge. There is no day, or even hour, off in caring. Carers are constantly on edge. I have spoken to families who have struggled to get respite care in order to attend a family wedding, for example. People have talked about only getting respite one weekend every two or three years. That is not good enough. People do not like to complain about it because they love the family member they are caring for and are happy to spend time with them, but they also have to take care of themselves.

Carers are tired and lonely. There is significant social exclusion because people cannot take time off for themselves or take a couple of hours in the evening to join a sports team or other social occasion. We are thankfully living longer. We are an older society, which is a good thing, but we will possibly all need care in the future. If we do not have a proper conversation on it and action arising out of that, we will find ourselves in even more of a crisis situation in the coming years.

I look forward to the Minister of State's contribution. It is to be hoped this is the start of a conversation, and we will be able to lead out from here and put some flesh on the bones of this. The Government has made significant progress. Senator O'Loughlin outlined a number of measures. The time taken to access respite has dropped and many additional services have been put into communities, but it is not enough. We are starting from a very low base. It is fantastic that we have the opportunity to discuss this but I would like to see action following it that we can deliver, so we can say to the carers of Ireland, who are primarily women, that we are listening to them and will deliver some real progress. I second the motion.