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Respite for Inishowen carers
04.06.10
FULL-TIME Inishowen
carers will receive the annual respite care grant of
€1,700 this week. The grant is allocated to allow
carers avail of respite for themselves and the
person they are caring for. There are hundreds of
hard-working carers throughout Donegal looking after
loved ones 24-hours a day, seven days a week.
The profile of carers range from the parents of
severely disabled children, the spouses of husbands
and wives with disabilities, to the sons and
daughters of people with debilitating conditions
such as Alzheimer's.
Donegal North East T.D., Niall Blaney paid tribute
to the work done by carers throughout the county.
“Carers make a massive contribution to society and
they are more than deserving of this annual grant
which allows them to get some respite for themselves
or their person they care for. |
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“Fianna Fáil has always
prioritised providing for carers and this payment
was introduced by the Government in 1999 and has
increased from €254 to €1,700 in that time. This
payment is made to all full-time carers regardless
of their means.”
The qualifying conditions for the Carer’s Allowance
has been |
significantly eased and
coverage of the scheme has been extended, with new
schemes such as half-rate Carer’s Allowance and
Carer’s Benefit introduced and extended in the last
ten years.
Around 71,000 carers around Ireland will receive the
grant this week at a cost of €153 million.
Deputy Blaney added: “Society is indebted to people
who dedicate their lives to care for others. The
work they do enhances the quality of life of the
person they are caring for and allows them to live
in their own homes for longer. I want to pay tribute
to the work done by carers in County Donegal.” |
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