Strategy a ‘thank you card’ to carers, says minister

The Government has promised that its National Carers’ Strategy will deliver tangible benefits to the thousands of people who provide care.

However, Kathleen Lynch, the junior health minister, said the strategy could not deliver new services in the short term due to economic restraints.

Ms Lynch said the document represented a ‘thank you’ card for the contribution made by carers to the provision of healthcare.

She described the work done by carers as “the backbone of care provision.”

The strategy contains 42 different actions with varying timelines. Much of the content relates to promoting services, support and information for carers, as well as their inclusion in decisions relating to the person for whom they care.

However, Ms Lynch acknowledged that the strategy’s roadmap had to be pragmatic and realistic as financial constrains meant new services could not be delivered in the near future.

She admitted that the majority of actions contained in the document were largely “cost-neutral.”

According to the official figures, there are around 50,500 people who claim a Carer’s Allowance, while a further 1,600 receive Carer’s Benefit. However, the results of last year’s census revealed that there are now over 187,000 carers.

Asked about the risk of cuts to existing welfare benefits for carers in next year’s budget, Ms Lynch said the Government was very conscious of the need to protect vulnerable groups.

Enda Kenny, accompanied at the launch by Eamon Gilmore, said it was time to formally acknowledge the inestimable work done by carers who carried out “quiet acts of love and compassion” as well as the fact that home-based care by family members was the overwhelming preference of the majority of people.

The Taoiseach also promised that the Government would look at updating actions contained in the strategy once Ireland’s economic position improved.

The Carers’ Association welcomed publication of the strategy as an important first step. The group estimates that carers save the State more than €4.7bn each year through the provision of 900,000 hours of care daily.