Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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171. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will report on his attendance at the annual carers’ forum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32902/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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My department is committed to hosting the Annual Carers’ Forum. The purpose of the Forum is to provide carers with a voice at policy level. It also provides an opportunity for engagement between officials and people experiencing care issues first-hand.I was delighted to attend and present at this year’s Annual Carers’ Forum held on 28 May and the opportunity it gave me to engage with the carer organisations and family carers themselves to hear directly from them about the issues they experience firsthand. I really appreciate carers taking the time to attend the forum, whether in person or on line. I am very grateful to them for attending and for sharing their very personal issues on the day. I know none of that is easy.Family Carers Ireland and Care Alliance Ireland are our partners for the event. It was really interesting to hear from them about the importance services and supports they provide to family carers. I want to also thank them for their involvement.Issues such as extending allowances or increasing means test thresholds are discussed at these events. Of course, the issues faced by carers are not just ones related to my Department. Issues in relation to education and access to respite care are also critical. So, I was pleased that we had officials from a number of departments and the event and participating in the workshops. This level of engagement has helped inform some of the considerable improvements that have been introduced for carers in recent years.A comprehensive note of proceedings outlining the day’s event and the issues raised at this year’s Forum is currently being prepared and will be published on the department’s website in due course. A video of the event will also be available on the website.In order to learn of and assess priorities within the sector, my department actively engages with carers’ representative groups on an ongoing basis.As part of the annual budgetary process my department invites pre-Budget submissions from representative bodies. As well as giving consideration to the submissions received, my department hosts an annual Pre-Budget Forum which representative bodies attend. It will be held on 17 July this year.The Pre-Budget Forum will provide a further opportunity for me to meet with groups from the community and voluntary sector, including carer’s representative groups, offering me a deeper insight into the issues that carers are most concerned about in the context of the next Budget.I can assure the Deputy that I am committed to engagement and dialogue with carers on the issues that matter to them.