"Government Must Abolish Carers Allowance Means Test before Election" - Tóibín
The Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín TD has challenged the government to end the means test on carers' allowance before the election.
Speaking today, Deputy Tóibín said: "Aontú, together with the Regional Group, have brought forward two motions on abolishing the means test over the past six months. The reason we support this is because we in Aontú believe that no matter what background you come from, no matter whether you're rich or poor, if you find yourself providing full time care to a loved one, the time and the sacrifice is the same. Anyone who is providing care to a loved one, anyone who has given up their career, or sacrificed part of their lives for the purpose of caring for a loved one deserves to be paid for the work they are doing".
Deputy Tóibín continued: "It is a reality that the majority of family carers in this country are women. It is a reality that there are women in every county in this country who are being denied the carer's allowance because their husband's salary exceeds the threshold. The means test is misogynistic. According to Aontú's parliamentary questions, over the past decade 72,440 people in this country have had the carers' allowance removed from them, and the figure is increasing year on year. During that period 2,328 of them were from Meath".
"We know that caring for a loved one in some cases can be extremely difficult. I don't think the government comprehends or appreciates how difficult it is. There are people who are providing care and feel strapped into the home, and there are many people in this boat who contact me and say that they'd love nothing more than a part time job at the weekend, so they could get out of the house, meet new people and improve their mental health. Because of the means test they know that if they take part time employment they risk losing the carers allowance. In any other profession it would be possible to go on strike for better pay and conditions. Imagine for a moment what would happen if Family Carers went on strike? The country would collapse... nursing homes would burst at the seams, the home care system would fall apart. Of course family carers can’t go on strike, and they would never comprehend doing so - because they are motivated by love, not money. Notwithstanding this they deserve to be paid!
"Another issue Aontú has been raising is the respite issue - there really needs to more flexibility with respite. There are unique situations which face families - perhaps where there is a bereavement in the family, or where the caregiver themselves finds themselves ill, and a lengthier respite period is needed while the family sorts things out - there needs to be more flexibility in that area. The government made a lot of talk during the referendum campaign, they now need to put their money where their mouth is, or they will lose credibility altogether", concluded Tóibín.
