€87k BILL FOR TIPPERARY CARER 'TOTALLY RIDICULOUS'
Posted by Alan Kelly on April 13, 2010 at 11:42 AM
I am appalled at the Governments treatment of a Tipperary carer following demands she repay almost €87,000.
The woman who has been in receipt of carer’s allowance for looking after her husband is now being asked to repay the money which the Dept of Social and Family Affairs are claiming she was overpaid.
Kelly said “It is quite simply beyond belief the way this lady is being treated. She was providing an invaluable service to the Tipperary community and she is being hit on all sides by a Government that clearly has no idea what is it doing.
Just last week we had billions being poured into the banks and here we have a horrible example of the blatant hypocrisy that exists in Ireland.
Yet again, the current Government are targeting the most vulnerable members of our society. According to the Carers Association of Ireland, carers are estimated to save the state in the region of €2.8 billion each year.
This woman was working hard each and every day providing care and assistance to her community whilst caring for her husband. Clearly the Dept of Social and Family Affairs are out of touch with the realities facing people in Ireland today.
Even more alarming is the fact that this is not the first case to come to my attention. I visited a house in North Tipperary recently, talking to a family who were struggling to afford everyday essentials, who was being asked to repay €50 per week in a similar case. The family were simply inconsolable at the prospect of having this money taken from them.
She never set out to deceive or mislead anyone but was simply not informed that her entitlements had changed. Harsh penalties are now being imposed on her for mistakes made within Government Departments.
I intend to work closely with my Labour Party colleagues and offer assistance to people affected by this chaotic system.”
Permanent link | Categories: Social & Family Affairs • Alan Kelly MEP • Carer • Labour • North Tipperary
