‘We couldn’t cope without it’

MARGARET CURRAN, 67, from Seaview in Co Kerry, has been caring for her husband John since he suffered a broken neck and became a paraplegic three decades ago in an accident.

Until the mid-1990s, the couple struggled without any financial support as the carers’ allowance system had not been introduced.

During that time Margaret, who receives the half-rate allowance in addition to her non-contributory pension, baked cakes and did dress-making in order to bring in enough money for her family. The couple’s youngest child was just five weeks old at the time of John’s accident.