A Galway TD shared the experiences of carers from his home county during a Dáil debate last week – to underline his belief that they have simply been forgotten by the state.

Thanking the Labour Party whose motion triggered the debate, Galway East Deputy Louis O’Hara called on Minister Norma Foley to take action – firstly by abolishing the carers allowance means test.

And he went on to share those experiences of some carers in Galway East who he’d spoken to.

“Frances told me about her mother who cares for her father. He has Parkinsons and needs full time care. She is only entitled to half the carers allowance which is demoralising for the amount of work she does daily,” he said.

“If she was getting the full amount it would greatly ease the burden with rising costs and enable her to get help with other things such as cleaning which she can’t do as all her time is spent caring for her husband.

“Lorraine cares for her two children with autism and can’t get services for them. She is spending huge money on private services.

“She’s on carers benefit and when that runs out she doesn’t know what they will do as they have bills to pay. Her hands are tied as she cannot work, so they have considered emigrating.

“Pauline cares for her 88-year-old mother who needs care around the clock. She was contacted yesterday by the Department who wanted to know what was wrong with her mother and why she needed care. She says they made her feel like a criminal.

“Anne cares for her elderly parents who are both fully dependent. Herself and her sister put in over 100 hours per week caring for them. They both work full-time to facilitate paying for private help so that some nights they can go home to their families and sleep in their own beds at night.

“She is overwhelmed, exhausted and hasn’t had a break in years. If she could get some kind of payment she believes she might be able to save something,” he added.

Deputy O’Hara told the Minister that the voice of carers must be heard, and the Government must take action in response – and he called for increased respite, increased payments, investment to ensure that people are allowed to stay in their own home, if that is their wish.

“You must scrap the means test for the carers allowance – you made this promise during the election campaign and it’s time to deliver on that, carers can’t wait any longer, you heard from those who were in touch with me directly today, so Minister I am calling on you to do that as a matter of urgency,” added the Sinn Féin TD.

Pictured: Good news…Galway East Deputy Louis O’Hara. Photo: Brian Harding.