Thousands of family carers will be immediately better off under Fine Gael plans for increased financial support, party leader Enda Kenny claimed today.
Among its promised measures, the party vowed to introduce individual State allowance means testing for people looking after sick or elderly relatives.
The Carers' Association welcomed the party's policy, saying it would make it easier for more carers to qualify for financial supports and entitlements.
The plans would be expected to cost in the region of €140 million, but home carers save the taxpayer an estimated €2 billion every year from the health service budget, Mr Kenny said.
Mr Kenny said all the proposals were practical, implementable and cost-effective. He promised Fine Gael and Labour would implement the proposals immediately if voted in at the next general election.
In response the Social Affairs Minister Seamus Brennan said that supporting the "valued role of carers in our society" remained a key Government priority .
He said that there had been a five-fold increase in Carers' payments since Fine Gael left office, up from €46 million in 1997 to €232 million at the end of 2005.
