Concerns of carers may be 'lost' in election

CAMPAIGN:THE MOST pressing social issues, particularly the situation of carers, could "get lost" in this election campaign, the chief executive of the Carers Association has warned.

Enda Egan was speaking at the announcement of a yellow card campaign to get the concerns of carers on the agenda of candidates.

Mr Egan said: “We are very concerned that the most important social issues are going to get lost in this campaign with all the focus there is on the economy, and that carers themselves are going to find themselves even further down the ladder of politicians’ concern.”

He said they were calling on candidates “to act now for Ireland’s invisible workforce”.

The association is sending a yellow card leaflet to the 161,000 carers in the State which has a series of questions it says they should put to canvassers.

Mr Egan said there were 160,917 carers in the country.

“We calculate conservatively they are saving the State €2.5 billion a year. That’s based on a wage of €13 an hour for care, which is at the lowest level. If the people they cared for were in nursing home beds that figure would be multiples of €2.5 billion.”

Mr Egan said the most significant issues for carers were financial. “The disadvantage experienced by carers is made worse for those who experience overlapping and multiple disadvantage, for example young carers living in remote areas or those who are unemployed.”