JUNE 2014

FIANNA FIL POSITION PAPER ON SUPPORTING CARERS

WILLIE ODEA TDSpokesperson on Social

Protection and Social Equality

Caring for Carers

Our Position ]Fianna Fil introduced the Carers Allowance in 1999 which was granted to all carers providing full-time care and attention to an older person or a person with disability, regardless of their means or social insurance contributions. Our Party recognises the valued role of carers in our society and supporting them continues to be a key priority for us.

Fianna Fil opposed the deeply unfair cuts to a vital support payment for carers across the country. The 20% cut of 325 in the respite carer grant in Budget 2013 hit carers on the frontline with a measly 26m in savings for the Govern-ment. Family Carers provide 4 billion worth of care each year. This Fine Gael/Labour Government is unfairly penalising the 70,000 carers across the country that play an integral role in supporting the vulnerable and ultimately save the state money.

Household Benets Package ]This Fine Gael/Labour Government has lleted the Household Benets Package through year on year cuts and the abolition of the telephone allowance. Fianna Fil believes that the provision of a direct telephone line is essential for emergencies and to access telecare supports for carers. We believe this area should be reexamined to ensure that carers have access to telephone provision no matter what their means.

CARING FOR CARERSFianna Fil Position Paper on Supporting Carers

Habitual Residence ]Fianna Fil understands that the requirement of habitual residence creates a difficulty for some carers who are accessing social welfare benets. Fianna Fil believes this matter should be examined further, to ensure that exibility can be provided on these criteria to carers while still combatting welfare fraud.

Prescription Charges ]In March 2011 the current Minister for Health, Fine Gaels Dr James Reilly committed to abolishing prescription charges. At that time, the cost of a prescription charge was 50c. This Government broke this promise by not only keeping the prescription charge but increasing it vefold.

Fianna Fil believes that where a single prescribed item is required to be dispensed in different strengths and containers that this should be treated as one item, rather than multiple items for prescription charge purposes.

Mobility Allowance and Motorised Transport Grant ]The failure of this Fine Gael/Labour Government to replace the Mobility Allowance or Motorised Transport Grant speaks volumes and shows how little they care for the most vulnerable in Irish society.

Fianna Fil believe that an allowance which recognises the difficulties people with mobility challenges face should be introduced. This will give people with disabilities, and their carers, greater choices and exibility in selecting the type of transport most appropriate to their needs.

Housing Adaptation Grant Scheme ]Fianna Fil introduced the Housing Adaptation Grant Scheme in 2007 in order to allow for the adaptation of houses for people with a disability and older people and the carrying out of necessary repairs and improvements to the houses of older people.

We believe the Housing Adaptation Grant should be fully restored to provide a much needed stimulus for small builders and give apprentices the opportunity to complete training in various trades and avoid a skills decit in future years. The waiting times for this grant are unacceptable and must also be addressed. We are calling for the resources collected from the Property Tax to be used at a local level for schemes such as the Housing Adaption Grant.

Local Property Tax and Carers ]Fianna Fil commits to ensuring that 80% of the revenue raised through the Local Property Tax will be granted to the local authority in which the property tax is collected. We believe that local government should benet from local charges and guarantee the local services for local communities.

Fianna Fil put forward alternative tax proposals before Budget 2014 that would still allow Ireland to reach budgetary targets but without putting pressure on those who can least afford it.

Q We are against the doubling of the property tax.

Q We will mandate all our council members to vote for it to be reduced by 15% when this power is available to them in September 2014.

Q We will also vote against any increase based on any new house valuations.

Q We will ensure that money raised will be reinvested into local communities.

Water Charges and Carers ]Fianna Fil has consistently opposed the governments Irish Water model which it rammed through Dil ireann in order to avoid real scrutiny. The scandalous revelations of the overspend on consultants and dishonesty of the government on the set up costs in the Irish Water super quango has vindicated our concerns. Irish Water strips away functions from democratically accountable Local Authorities and places them in a new super quango created by the government.

Fianna Fil will seek to ensure that supports are in place for Family Carers with high essential water needs. We believe that an Ability to Pay model must be central to any Irish Water charging scheme.

Home Care on a Statutory Basis ]Fianna Fil has published a bill, that if passed will place home care services on a statutory basis. Where appropriate home care provision is possible, this should be pursued before a nursing home option is considered. Home care provision can often have signicant social and cost benets. Our bill ammends the Nursing Home Support Scheme Act 2009 to allow an older person who has been approved under the Fair Deal scheme to seek an alternative package of home care supports instead. We believe this bill should have all party approval.

Community Employment for Home Care Respite ]Fianna Fil believes that the Community Employment Scheme can help to increase the amount of respite care that could be provided to carers. We have written to Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton TD to Request this.

Willie ODea TDSPOKESPERSON ON SOCIAL PROTECTION AND SOCIAL EQUALITY

Dil ireann,Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2.

Constituency Office,2, Glenview Gardens,Farranshone, Limerick 061-454488 v061-328849

willie.odea@oireachtas.ie www.willieodea.ief

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