Ciarán Lynch TD

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Carers opportunity missed in Budget

Issued : Wednesday 6 December, 2006

The Chairperson of the HSE Southern Region Health Forum, Cllr Ciaran Lynch has said the Budget once again represents a missed opportunity for the Government to fundamentally reform the Carers Allowance by scrapping the means test that exists for the allowance.

Cllr Lynch said: “Not only has the Government missed a perfect opportunity to scrap this unfair means test but it is also failing to implement the 2003 report of the Dail Committee on Social and Family Affairs which recommended the abolition of the means test. The cost to the exchequer would have stood at €145m, a drop in the ocean in comparison to our buoyant economy.

“Carers work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year and have only one guarantee this Christmas and that it is that they will be working Christmas Day. There are 10,000 carers in the Cork 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. Minister Cowen should have taken steps to remedy that today, but he failed to do so. The Government’s shameful neglect of carers has to stop and Labour in Government will abolish the means test.”