Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Government recognises the important role that family carers play in the provision of care in Ireland. Family carers are the backbone of care provision in our country and have cared for the most vulnerable in our society during the COVID 19 pandemic. Whether caring for a child or a parent with a disability or illness or an elderly family member, carers, through their selfless hard work, knowledge and compassion enhance the quality of life of the most vulnerable in our society on a daily basis.

The Programme for Government aims to prioritise policy actions that protect the most vulnerable, including those both in caring roles and those they care for as our economy returns to growth in the aftermath of the pandemic.

The Department of Health is committed to working with other Government Departments to ensure that we are providing the most appropriate supports to sustain carers in their caring role. Officials from the Department of Health recently partook in the Annual Carers Forum hosted by the Department of Social Protection. This annual forum is a forum for family carers and representative organisations to voice their views on caring in Ireland and their priorities to support them in their caring role.

Ireland’s National Carers Strategy is a cross-departmental strategy, designed around a core vision which recognises and respects carers as key care partners who are supported to maintain their own health and well-being, care with confidence and who are empowered to participate as fully as possible in economic and social life.

The National Carers Strategy recommends that family carers should have access to a range of respite services to allow family carers to participate as fully as possible in economic and social life. A break from caring can lessen the psychological and emotional burden that can be experienced by family carers. It can support family carers to continue in their caring role.