A Castlebar councillor has shown his concern over people who are entitled to receive half rate carer’s allowance not getting it. This tends to be because they either don’t know about it or have not been given it.

Cllr Michael Kilcoyne said for some time now people who are in receipt of a social welfare payment, who are also providing full-time care for a relative may be entitled to receive an additional payment of up to €107 per week.

The councillor says many people are unaware of this and are providing full-time care and attention to elderly relatives and are doing a great service to the state.

Kilcoyne said they are saving hundreds of euros per week by people minding sick relatives at home and at the same time the Department of Social and Family Affairs is doing little to make them aware of their entitlement.

The respite care allowance is not means tested and is an important payment which the Department could do a whole lot more to promote, explained the councillor.

‘These people provide an extremely valuable service to the state at a time when there is great difficulty in getting into hospital or long-term care. Many people provide full-time care to needy relatives and they should avail of this payment.’