Fine Gael TD for Dublin Fingal, Alan Farrell, has said that a new online resource for carers will be of great support to people caring for relatives and loved ones in the North County. The announcement of the new HSE resource comes during the tenth annual National Carer’s Week, which falls during 13th – 19th June this year.
“The new national website dedicated to carers can be found at www.hse.ie/carers, and it will be a great support to people in Dublin Fingal, who are caring for relatives and loved ones with a disability or illness.
“This new website will be a useful one stop shop for carers, providing them with useful information. It is also a signposting service, pointing carers in the direction of relevant HSE services. These include community services, such as home support and respite; and financial benefits such as the Medical Card, Carers Allowance and the Carers Support Grant (formerly Respite Grant). The website also provides links to the statutory and voluntary organisations working to support carers, including the Family Carers of Ireland, the Department of Social Protection and Citizens Information.
“The site also offers practical tips for carers on looking after their own health and wellbeing, which as we know is hugely important and is something that can often be overlooked by carers who are so used to giving their time and resources to others.
“I welcome the fact that carers themselves were involved in developing this website. The HSE’s National Carer Strategy Group consulted with Family Carers Ireland and the Care Alliance in the development of the website, and a number of carers were asked to review the content and provide feedback.
“I hope that people working as carers in Dublin Fingal will see the benefit of this new one stop shop designed to inform and assist them. It is vital that carers feel valued and supported and this initiative is an important element of that.”