Tipperary TD Michael Lowry has added his voice to calls for the scrapping of the means test for the carers allowance.
The Thurles Deputy was speaking in the Dáil during the Regional Group Private Members Bill.
He spoke of the many people who have found themselves in the role of Family Carer with no training for the responsibility.
“Until a person stands in the shoes of a Family Carer they can never hope to fully understand the reality of what it entails. Some 500,000 people across the country are caring for a family member – 10,000 of these live in Tipperary.
“They could be parents caring for a child with a serious illness or disability, they could be caring for an adult with complex needs, perhaps they are looking after an older person. Either way the carer has committed their life to looking after the needs of a family member.”
