The Carers' Association claimed yesterday that it was being treated with hostility and accused of being unreasonable for making demands for the State's thousands of carers. It called for the immediate abolition of the means test for the carers' allowance.
A delegation from the association told the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Social, Community and Family Affairs that carers were making an enormous contribution to the well-being of the State and saving it millions of pounds every year. However, the value of their work was often overlooked.
While the association welcomed improvements in carer benefits initiated by the Government in recent years, it said very few people would benefit. It said in the past they were always told there was a shortage of finance and resources. Now the State was "awash with money" but it was not coming in their direction.
Mr Eddie Collins-Hughes, of the association, could not understand why senior politicians were so negative to them. In the early days of the association, the Department of Family, Community and Social Affairs had treated them with courtesy, but in recent times that had given way to hostility and they were being accused of being unreasonable.
Mr Matty Brennan TD (FF) said if the carers were under the aegis of the health boards instead of a Government Department there would be fewer problems.