Mayo carers have received what the Carers’ Association is calling a “slap in the face” with the Government's announcement that the committed National Carers Strategy, for which the organisation has been lobbying for over five years, will now not be published. Minister for Social and Family Affairs Mary Hanafin met with the Carers’ Association this week to inform them of this decision. The organisation's members nationwide, who have submitted their proposals towards this strategy, have placed enormous priority on the publication of the strategy to implement vital supports for Mayo’s 5,440 family carers.
“We are devastated and appalled that Government has reneged on their promise to develop and publish a National Carers Strategy as committed to under the social partnership agreement Towards 2016,” commented Enda Egan, CEO of the Carers’ Association. “This is indicative of the complete lack of recognition and value that the Government places on family carers and their invaluable work in our society. The Government has been more than happy to accept over 132,873 hours of work per week provided by Mayo family carers, yet are not even willing to publish a strategy that at the very least, recognises and values carers for their contribution to the State.
“The announcement made today is a disgrace and a real blow for Mayo family carers who were promised this strategy in 2007 and have already been waiting over two years for its publication,” Mr Egan added. “Yet again the Government has chosen to hit the most vulnerable in our society.”
In order to salvage something from this disastrous situation the Carers’ Association has put forward proposals which “would not subject the State to increased costs, but would make a great deal of difference to Mayo family carers and take some of the sting from the tail of the announcement. We have asked the Government to consider our proposals but should they decide to ignore these options, it will be obvious that the Government will be making a clear statement that they are not going to give the proper recognition to the contribution of Mayo family carers to the economy amounting to over €89 million per year.”
