It’s time for a new vision to support our carers – Byrne

A new approach and sustained solutions are essential to ensure those in the caring profession feel truly valued, said a Fine Gael Senator.

Limerick Senator Maria Byrne highlighted that although we witnessed a strong commitment to carers in Budget 2023, long term planning is essential so that the momentum is not lost.

Senator Byrne said, “Carers are the backbone of our society and have consistently stepped up throughout significant challenges over the past couple of years. They provide invaluable support for individuals and it is vital that they feel acknowledged for their service.

“Recently, my Fine Gael colleague and Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys announced an autumn double payment paid to over €1.4 million people receiving state payments, including carers.

“Signalling a wave of change, this Social Protection budget was the largest in the history of the State and is all about putting money back in people’s pockets. It is essential that we alleviate the cost of living pressures affecting carers face while simultaneously focusing on the future.

“As it stands, our National Carers’ Strategy has not been updated since 2012. Since then, we’ve experienced a global pandemic and an unprecedented war in Ukraine.

“I am calling for a new vision, a new strategy that will look beyond our current circumstances. We need to address things like the shift in institutional care to home care.

“We must continue to reinvent the wheel for our carers and ensure that this scale of response is not just a once off,” concluded Senator Byrne.