Caring for Westport's Carers

mayo | health / disability issues | news report Monday November 12, 2007 13:22 by Cllr Keith Martin - Labour Party

Caring for those who care for others

Caring for a relative can be a stressful and traumatic experience. The Government should do its best to help. I am upset at how many people are left caring for others and are given no support due to a means test. Anyone who cares deserves the backup of a Carer's allowance.

How many of these allowances could be paid out of Bertie Ahern's self granted pay rise?

Who deserves the money more? Bertie Ahern? or the carers in Westport?

Councillor Keith Martin says that the predicament of carers in Westport and across the country needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency. Cllr Martin says that in order to do so the Government must scrap the means test for carers' allowance.
"According to official statistics there are over 160,000 people in Ireland providing unpaid help for a family member or friend with a disability or health problem. The person being cared for could be a child with a physical or mental disability, a stroke victim or an incapacitated elderly relative.
"In many cases this unpaid care is being provided 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. In some cases a person may be caring for more than one dependent. They have only one guarantee this Christmas and that it is that they will be working Christmas Day. There are 208 carers in the Westport area saving vast amounts of money for the State and once again the vital role they play in local community health care has yet to be fully recognised. CSO figures released last week showed that of the two hundred and eight carers in the Westport area, sixty six of them work for more than forty three hours per week
"The abolition of the means test is not the only step to improve the lives of carers, who provide such an important service to families and communities throughout Ireland. The Government must develop a comprehensive Carers Strategy, and develop a consistent and comprehensive system of needs assessment.
"Carers are saving the state huge costs that would arise if those being cared for had to seek residential care, but they get little or no recognition from the state. I believe that it is time to end the shameful neglect of the country's carers."