Disability group: Carer cuts won’t work

ANY cuts to carers benefits will force thousands of people “to put their loved ones into State care,” further overcrowding the health service and adding billions to the Exchequer’s expenses.

Intellectual disability group Inclusion Ireland, which represents more than 25,000 families across the mental health spectre, has warned that despite Minister for Social and Family Affairs Mary Hanafin’s comments last week that the half-rate carers allowance was an “obvious target” for budget cuts, there is “no economic sense” in reducing the payments.

According to the group, at least 16,000 people with intellectual disabilities are cared for at home by their families, many of whom do not qualify for a full-rate carers allowance.