‘Many carers not eligible for allowance’

CARE organisations yesterday gave a “cautious” welcome to the Budget.

But the umbrella body Care Alliance Ireland (CAI) expressed disappointment that there was no mention of a national support strategy for family carers.

“We still feel that family carers don’t get full recognition for the commitment they give to their family members,” said national development officer Liam O’Sullivan.

In his second Budget, Finance Minister Brian Cowen raised the carer’s allowance by €26.40 a week to €180 for those under 66 years. He gave over-66s an extra €30.20, bringing their allowance to €200.

CAI also welcomed Tánaiste Mary Harney’s €150 million package of new services for older people, details of which were announced yesterday.

“There have been significant and welcome increases in funding for home help services as well as additional home care packages,” the care group said.

There are an estimated 150,000 carers throughout the country, but CAI said concerns remained that large numbers of family carers continued to be ineligible for the allowance.

Mr O’Sullivan said about 23,000 got the allowance. About 6,000 carers get the once-a-year respite grant introduced last year. Mr Cowan raised it from €1,000 to €1,200 in Wednesday’s Budget. It is not means tested.

But many carers did not get the carer’s allowance, because it continues to be means tested.

“A lot of carers’ organisations feel that is unfair, that it shouldn’t be means tested; that if you are giving up your time to care for a loved one that you should be given some remuneration,” said Mr O’Sullivan.

CAI called for the development of a structured assessment of carers’ needs to complement the existing assessment process.

“You can’t look at the needs of the dependent person in isolation from the needs of the carer,” said Mr O’Sullivan.