Richard Bruton
Ceist:12 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who are caring for infirm or incapacitated relatives; and if she will outline her views on the introduction of a charter for carers.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Charter for Carers.
Bernard Allen
Ceist:111 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health the estimated number of carers needed to provide care for incapacitated people who would not be able to cope on their own.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 and 111 together.
I assume that the Deputy is referring to informal carers, that is, relatives and families of dependent people. It is not possible to estimate the number of carers needed to provide care for dependent people. However, it is known that approximately 66,000 people are providing care to elderly people and a significant number are caring for people with physical and intellectual disabilities and the mentally ill.
A Carers Charter prepared by the Soroptimists International of the Republic of Ireland was presented to my Department in April this year. The charter has been circulated to the health boards for consideration in the preparation of their plans to develop services for the elderly, the mentally ill and people with physical and intellectual disabilities.
Less than 5 per cent of the 66,000 people providing care qualify for the carer's allowance. Does the Minister agree that this shows the extent of the State's commitment to the work that carer's are doing? Would the Minister further agree that many families providing care for a relative, including the 900 families waiting for residential places for children with an intellectual disability, are stretched to breaking point and that circulating the health boards with the document, Charter for Carers is not urgent enough to tackle their needs?
Eligibility for the carer's allowance is the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Social Welfare. I considered it very helpful to circulate this document, and I commend the Soroptimists for their work in formulating this policy. I know the Deputy will be interested to know that the originator of this document, Miss Judith Ironside, was honoured by Europe this week.
Would the Minister agree that she has failed to answer the question? Will she outline her views on the need for a charter for carers?
——if the Minister has any views.
Deputy Creed will find as time goes on that I have plenty of views. I am sure that when I have had time to study the full background, I will be able to come back to this subject again. Let me add however, that I found the Soroptimists' document A Carers Charter very interesting and comprehensive, and once again I compliment them on it.
Does Deputy McCormack have a question arising out of what the Minister has said?
I do not wish to rush the Minister because I know she is new to this ministry.
The Deputy is being very sweet.
Standing Orders do not provide for that. I am concerned that we ask questions appropriate to the question tendered.
The Minister said that the carer's allowance is a matter appropriate to the Minister for Social Welfare. However, as only 1,380 out of a possible 66,000 people providing care for a relative at home qualify for the carer's allowance in full——
The Deputy is giving information rather than trying to elicit it.
——will the Minister make representations to the Minister for Social Welfare on providing an allowance for those who care for a relative at home, because if nothing is done these people will end up in hospital, and then it will be her problem?
The Deputy can make personal representations to the Minister for Social Welfare.
They should be made at a higher level.
The Deputy's question should, more properly, be put to the Minister for Social Welfare. I take this opportunity to compliment the former Minister for Social Welfare, Dr. Michael Woods, on introducing a carer's scheme. Of course, he modified it and changed it as time went on. Questions about payment of allowances under the carer's scheme is not a question that is appropriate to the Department of Health but to the Department of Social Welfare.
Would the Minister agree that a slight increase in expenditure by the Minister for Social Welfare would have the effect of greatly reducing costs in the health area? Will the Minister contact her colleague in that regard?
I will undertake to do that.