This article is from page 12 of the 2009-03-24 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 12 JPG
A NATIONWIDE carers support group, whose foundation and base is in Ennis, is growing in strength thanks to its hard working staff, ded- icated volunteers and the determina- tion of carers to finally speak out.
Family carers throughout the coun- try who had been overlooked by the Government and society for decades are finding their voice thanks to Car- ing for Carers Ireland.
That strength was in numbers at the organisation’s 18th National Carers Conference and Respite Break at the Gleneagle Hotel, Killarney.
As many as 84 delegates from nine Caring for Carers groups in County Clare were among the 500 family carers who took part in and contrib- uted to the conference.
Training and Development Officer Susan Hogan – who, among her many roles, oversees the nine branches of the organisation in Clare – hailed the conference a success.
The theme of this year’s conference was ‘Sustaining Care in Challenging Serato
Ms Hogan explained that acute disappointment was expressed at the decision by the Minister of Social and Family Affairs not to publish the National Carers Strategy. Caring for Carers had made a submission to the Carers Strategy Consultation Forum, which sought to advocate the enact- ment of a Carer Act, to improve sup- ports and services into the future.
The National Conference, repre- senting the 161,000 family carers in Ireland, called on Minister Hanafin for the immediate publication of the Carers Strategy, pointing out that its implementation need not necessarily mean increased funding in the cur- rent economic climate, but to put ex- isting funding to better use.
‘We believe that the strategy should still be published. A lot of what is in it would not cost a lot, if anything,” said Ms Hogan.
Those taking part in the conference also argued that family carers are the backbone of community care and should be supported in every way possible, not only to maintain their own health and well-being, but also those for whom they care.
Caring for Carers Clare was repre- sented strongly at the weekend con-
ference through its 85 members and the newly elected chairperson.
Chairperson Margaret Scanlon who hails from Cranny, is expected to provide strong leadership for the 4,671 family carers in Clare.
Tributes were paid to the outgoing chairperson, Helen Kelly, who pro- moted the position of family carers in County Clare for the past three ert ae