Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 March 2024
320. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he has conducted any census of carers to identify the circumstances of their care, their access to information and support, their age profile, and their capacity to continue; if he will indicate where the findings may be obtained; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13528/24]
View answerCarers are key enablers for Government policy to support people to live with dignity and independence in homes and communities of their choosing for as long as possible by providing vital care to some of our most vulnerable citizens, including children and adults with disabilities, older people, people living with chronic illnesses or with palliative care needs, mental ill-health, or addiction.
The National Carers' Strategy 2012 is designed around a core vision which recognises and respects carers as key care partners who are supported to maintain their own health and well-being, care with confidence and participate as fully as possible in economic and social life.
One of the Strategy's goals was to establish tools to identify the circumstances of their care, their access to information and support, their age profile, and their capacity to continue their valuable work. My Department cooperates with many stakeholders, like the Central Statistics Office (CSO) and The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA), to achieve it.
As a result, starting from the 2016 census there is a detailed profile of carers and cared for persons published on the CSO website, www.cso.ie. A module on carers and social reports was also included as part of the Irish Health Survey 2019, conducted by the CSO. Another source of dedicated reports compiled in cooperation with my Department can be found on the TILDA website, www.tilda.tcd.ie.
On 4 March 2024, the HSE published its final evaluation report of the Family Carer Needs Assessment pilot carried out in CHO2. This pilot programme examined the use of the InterRAI Family Carer Needs Assessment (FCNA) from September 2021-September 2023. The purpose of the pilot was to test the implementation of the FCNA tool, to assess carers’ needs including differences in needs between care groups and at two different time points six months apart, to provide supports and services in response to reported needs where feasible, to examine outcomes with a repeat assessment, and to assess the use and appropriateness of the tool from the perspective of health professionals. My Department is currently examining the findings of the evaluation report.
