Awards for Ireland’s carers allows us to celebrate our unsung heroes

WITHOUT the aid of volunteers, there can be no doubt critical elements of society would grind to a halt. That’s certainly true of the country’s 187,000 largely invisible and generally unsung heroes — family carers. Without them, Ireland’s ailing health service would be even more embattled.

Yesterday was a day in the limelight for 22 family carers who received special awards. Essentially, a celebration of the dedication of selfless people, the Carers Association also embraces 6,500 committed young carers such as 12-year-old Jennifer Carroll from Ballyclare, Co Offaly, was voted Ireland’s Carer of the Year. Another remarkable 12-year-old, Donagh O’Sullivan from Cork was Ireland’s Young Carer of the Year.

The honours list also included such courageous people as Jennifer Carroll, a single mother who provides full-time care for her two children, Alex, 8, and Ava, 3, who suffer from a genetic disorder where bones break and fracture easily. It is hard to imagine what children and adults with this disorder have to go through because they also have muscle weakness, joint laxity, scoliosis, dental problems and hearing loss. Jennifer, who also has the disorder, has had 15 fractures including both legs, both wrists, ribs and skull.

But as in so many areas of Irish life, there are no statistics for the growing number providing care for more than one person. That should be a key question in the quarterly household survey of the CSO. The results could be frightening.