Richard O'Donoghue: Calls to scrap means test blocking care
Richard O'Donoghue criticised the government's means test for home care, arguing it prevents people from receiving or providing care. He said Independent Ireland wants the means test scrapped and urged the minister and government to prioritise care for people in their own homes.
Richard O'Donoghue said the issue is not the means test itself but the practical barrier it creates for care - many people fall outside thresholds because of small inheritances or because a partner is working extra jobs, yet they still need support. He insisted policy should focus on ensuring care rather than policing means.
He described people who come to his office wanting to care for relatives but who fear the financial consequences for their families because care is means tested. Those potential carers say they will be adversely affected if they provide support, and that fear deters them from offering home help.
O'Donoghue pointed to areas with no home help and said families cannot get care in many parts of the country. He argued that the means test is an obstacle that leaves people without home help and discourages informal carers from stepping in.
He claimed that comparing the cost of providing care through other sectors would show it is unaffordable if funded the same way, reinforcing his call to remove barriers. O'Donoghue repeated Independent Ireland's demand that the minister and government scrap the means test and recognise the benefit of caring for people in their own homes.
He concluded by calling it "mean" of the government not to allow care and urged decision-makers to treat the issue as one of care provision, not means assessment.
Main argument
Richard O'Donoghue said the issue is not the means test itself but the practical barrier it creates for care - many people fall outside thresholds because of small inheritances or because a partner is working extra jobs, yet they still need support. He insisted policy should focus on ensuring care rather than policing means.
People contacting his office
He described people who come to his office wanting to care for relatives but who fear the financial consequences for their families because care is means tested. Those potential carers say they will be adversely affected if they provide support, and that fear deters them from offering home help.
Service shortages and home help
O'Donoghue pointed to areas with no home help and said families cannot get care in many parts of the country. He argued that the means test is an obstacle that leaves people without home help and discourages informal carers from stepping in.
Cost comparisons and policy demand
He claimed that comparing the cost of providing care through other sectors would show it is unaffordable if funded the same way, reinforcing his call to remove barriers. O'Donoghue repeated Independent Ireland's demand that the minister and government scrap the means test and recognise the benefit of caring for people in their own homes.
Closing charge
He concluded by calling it "mean" of the government not to allow care and urged decision-makers to treat the issue as one of care provision, not means assessment.
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Transcript
Independent Ireland have looked for the means test to be abolished. It's not about the means test, it's about care. Be practical about it. An awful lot of people could be outside the thresholds because they may have been left something by a loved one, their partner might be working two jobs to try and put food at the table, and it puts them outside of the means. If you look at where we have no home help, if you look at where we can't get care for people in this country, and you have put an obstacle in the way of a means test, it's not about means, it's about the care. If you looked at what it would cost from the other sectors to provide the same care, and you put that practically into funds, you wouldn't be able to provide it anywhere. So why are you putting an obstacle in the way for care? You talk about home help, you can't get home help, why? Because again people are afraid of being targeted. I have people in my office day on day wanting to care for people that the government can't allow for, and they are willing to do it, but they are saying if they do it, their family are going to be affected because it's means tested. We have inflation, we have things going double the cost in this country, and people are trying to live, and they also want to care, and the means test is what's stopping this. So it's mean of the government not to allow care. Independent Ireland are saying to the government, scrap the means test, look at the care, look at the benefit of looking after people in their own homes. And that's what we're asking. So to wrap this up, Minister, it is mean for the government not to allow care. When they look at it from the point of view of financial, it's about the care, not the means. Thank you.