‘LOUTH CARERS HAVE SAVED US MILLIONS!’

The thousands of carers in Louth have been abandoned by the government, even though they have saved the country millions of euro, it has been claimed at the July meeting of the county council.

That is the opinion of Cllr Maeve Yore when she spoke following a presentation by the Louth family carers support group.

Ciaran Briscoe, on behalf of the voluntary support group, said the 2011 census showed there were 5,000 carers in Louth, and that figure is expected to grow significantly in the 2016 census.

Until February, 2016, Louth was the only county in Ireland without a family carers support group.

They are now established in Dundalk and Drogheda, with Clogherhead/Termonfeckin and Ardee/Collon on the way shortly. ‘I hope you make people who may benefit from our group aware of our presence,’ Mr Briscoe said.

‘ There is a need not being sufficiently addressed, we can fill that role.

‘We welcome any support or help.’

Chief executive of Louth county council, Joan Martin said there is a wide range of people, young and old, caring for those who want to stay in their own homes.

It is most important people get to hear about the group.

Mayor of Drogheda, Cllr Oliver Tully said he was struck by the commitment of carers, and couldn’t get over there was no support network ion Co. Louth.

He continued carers are carrying out a service for the community, and tried to imagine a hospital with a bed capacity of 5,000, and multiply that figure by every county in Ireland. ‘We owe them an awful lot.’ Cllr Mark Dearey said carers have a sense of isolation, and asked does the group provide advocacy for carers’ allowance applications, as there is a high refusal rate.

Mr Briscoe replied they help out or refer to somebody else, as people learn off others in the group.

He told Cllr Edel Corrigan the groups meet in the Barbican centre, Drogheda and in the community room of Tesco Extra in Dundalk; and they would like to set up a website, and could apply for dormant account funding.

At present, they would prefer to spend time establishing the groups.

Cllr Peter Savage pointed out no mention had been made of north Louth, and Mr Briscoe said people can come into Dundalk for the meetings.

He informed Cllr Tomas Sharkey the group is not part of Family Carers Ireland, because it is felt they are very restrictive.

‘Any time you do a poster, you have to ask for permission.’

Cllr Sharkey said that group gets dormant account funding, and there is a liaison based out of north Dublin.

Mr Briscoe replied ‘we found not a lot of support there’ and his group feels Louth needs its own dedicated officer.

Cllr Liam Reilly, who lost his father to Alzheimer’s Disease, said he understands the ferocious work carers do.