FCI Welcomes Citizens’ Assembly Recommendations On Gender Equality and Supporting Family Carers

Charity appeared before Oireachtas committee in 2018 in support of amending Constitution to ensure work of family carers (male and female) is recognised and valued

Family Carers Ireland is warmly welcoming the recommendation by the Citizens’ Assembly that Article 41.2 of the Constitution (referring to a woman’s place in the home) be deleted and replaced with language that is not gender specific and obliges the State to take “reasonable measures to support care within the home and wider community”.

“We particularly welcome the assembly’s recommendations for an increase in the income disregard for Carers’ Allowance, reimbursement of the costs associated with caring, the provision of adequate access to a range of respite services to meet individual needs, an increase in the level of the Carers’ Support Grant in the next budget, an individualised pension solution for carers and an increase in the annual home care budget to meet growing demand and reduce waiting lists” stated Catherine Cox, Head of Communications and Policy, Family Carers Ireland.

Family Carers Ireland also supports the recommendation to amend Article 40.1 of the Constitution to refer explicitly to gender equality and non-discrimination.

Representatives from Family Carers Ireland appeared before the Oireachtas Justice and Equality Committee in 2018 to call on members to support rewording Article 41.2 to make it gender neutral and to ensure that the work of family carers is recognised and valued. The charity believes that the overwhelming consensus in Ireland would get behind a constitutional provision that recognises the family’s primary role in provision of care and the state’s responsibility to support families in this regard and to act as the provider of last resort where a family is unwilling or unable to do so.

Family Carers Ireland is echoing calls by members of the Citizens’ Assembly who have urged the Oireachtas to accept their recommendations and implement them without delay.