Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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786. To ask the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to delivering a carers guarantee to providing access to a core basket of supports including respite, home care and training to carers nationwide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26395/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the Programme for Government commits to delivering a ‘Carers Guarantee’ that will provide a core basket of services to carers across the country, regardless of where they live. This commitment is consistent with the National Carers' Strategy, which seeks to support family carers to care with confidence through the provision of adequate information, training, services and supports.

In relation to my own role as Minister for Health, I am committed to listening to family carers and their representative organisations and working with my Government colleagues to ensure that we are providing the most appropriate supports to help sustain carers in their caring role. To this end, my colleague, the Minister for Health and Older People, held a roundtable with family carers on 15 September to hear about their experience as carers and how we can best support them in their caring role, in particular, given the challenges associated with the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Programme for Government also commits to reviewing and updating the National Carers' Strategy. This process will provide an opportunity to consider how best we can work towards providing a 'Carers Guarantee', bearing in mind that the needs of family carers encompass a wide range of areas and involve a number of Government departments.