‘If allowance is cut my son could end up in care’

SINGLE mother Alison McKim was disappointed that just five TDs turned up at her door to see how she copes with her blind teenage son who has cerebral palsy, epilepsy and asthma.

Two weeks ago the Carers’ Association invited ministers, TDs and senators to travel on their bus from the Dáil to Ms McKim’s home in Terenure, Dublin, and had expected up to 20 politicians to take up the offer. Three of the TDs who travelled on the bus were from Labour – Roisín Shorthall, Jan O’Sullivan and Mary Upton. The two other were Joe Behan (Ind), who resigned from the Fianna Fáil party over the over-70s medical card fiasco, and John McGuinness (FF), a former junior minister.

Ms McKim, 38, told the politicians that feared cuts in the carers’ allowance would devastate people like her looking after severely disabled family members.