Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 197: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if, in the interest of promoting equality for family carer's, she will support the establishment of a national advisory group made up of carers, representative organisations, union representatives and employers' groups to advise her Department on the various areas of policy affecting carer's and their families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34732/05]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware, carers provide an invaluable role in supporting family members in the community and it is important to recognise their contribution to society. The role of carers in society has to some extent not been fully recognised in the past but this situation is changing with a number of initiatives being introduced to address the needs of carers.

The Department of Health and Children provided in excess of €1 million in funding in 2005 to a number of groups supporting cares such as Care Alliance, Caring for Carers and the Carers Association. The Department of Social and Family Affairs has also implemented a range of measures, since 1999, to assist carers, including increases in the carer's allowance, the introduction of an annual payment of €1,000 towards the cost of respite care, the extension of schemes such as the free electricity allowance, free telephone rental and free television licence to those on carer's allowance.

The Carers Leave Act 2001 allows employees in Ireland to leave their employment temporarily for a minimum period of 13 weeks up to a maximum period of 65 weeks to provide full-time care and attention. Carers leave from employment is unpaid but the Carers Leave Act ensures that those who propose to avail of carer's leave will have their jobs kept open for them for the duration of the leave. These initiatives demonstrate this Government's commitment to addressing the shortcomings identified by the Carers Association and other groups regarding support for carers.

The Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney. and the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Deputy Brennan, met representatives of the Carers Association on the 29 September 2005 to discuss their document entitled Towards a Family Carers Strategy. At that meeting, the importance of work carried out by carers in the home was acknowledged. As outlined at the meeting, an interdepartmental group on the funding of long-term care for older persons set up by the Tánaiste and the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, chaired by the Taoiseach's Department, is currently examining a range of issues surrounding the care of older persons in Ireland, including community care. That group is expected to report shortly and it was agreed that the Carers Association document entitled Towards a Family Carers' Strategy, would feed into its deliberations.