The Carers Association will protest outside Leinster House at 1pm on Tuesday 11th Decmber.

The Carers Association will protest outside Leinster House at 1pm on Tuesday 11th Decmber.

The Carers Association are extremely disappointed with the level of reduction of over 19% in the respite grant paid to over 77,000 family carers, 20,000 of whom receive no other support from the state for providing full-time care for a family member from their own resources. The grant is used by carers to buy in home care or pay for residential respite care for the cared for person in order to give the carer a much needed break from their caring role. Despite working 7 days a week, 365 days a year carers are entitled to no holidays and no breaks. This grant goes some way towards allowing this. Other carers use the grant to pay bills.

Other changes that will impact negatively on family carers in today’s budget include the reduction in telephone allowance, electricity allowance, the increase in prescription charges from 50 cent to € 1.50 per perscription and the increase in the drug payment scheme threshold from €132 to €144 per month.

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