Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 367: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason he has not kept the commitment in the Programme for Government to develop a National Carer's Strategy by the end of 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32575/07]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Supporting and recognising carers in our society is, and has been, a priority of the Government since 1997. Over that period, weekly payment rates to carers have been greatly increased, qualifying conditions for carer's allowance have been significantly eased, coverage of the scheme has been extended and new schemes such as carer's benefit and the respite care grant have been introduced and extended.

Most recently, significant reforms came into force, which allow people in receipt of certain other social welfare payments, who are also providing full time care and attention, to retain their main welfare payment and receive another payment, depending on their means. The maximum payment will be the equivalent of a half rate carer's allowance.

One of the key Government commitments in the national partnership agreement Towards 2016 is the development of a national carer's strategy and this commitment is reiterated in the Programme for Government. I am aware that one of the recommendations of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social and Family Affairs Report on the Position of Full Time Carers, which was published in 2003, was that such a strategy should be developed.

I am pleased that we are now in a position to act on that recommendation. The strategy will focus on supporting informal and family carers in the community. While social welfare supports for carers will clearly be a key issue in the strategy, other issues such as access to respite and other services, education, training and employment will also feature strongly. Co-operation between relevant Government departments and agencies is essential if the provision of services, supports and entitlements for carers is to be fully addressed. For that reason, all relevant departments and agencies will be involved in the strategy and there will be appropriate consultation with the social partners.

My officials have been in discussions with their colleagues in other relevant Departments in order to decide on the best approach to the development of the strategy. In view of the need to ensure that appropriate arrangements and structures are in place to support its development, it will not be possible to complete the strategy by the end of this year as had been intended originally.

An inter-Departmental working group, chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach, will be established in the coming weeks to develop the strategy and to manage the consultation process. I expect the strategy to be completed by summer of 2008.

The recent improvements in the income supports available from this Department represent major improvements in supports available to carers in the community. The development of a national carers strategy provides us with an opportunity to build further on these improvements and to consider other areas where progress can be made.