Family carers across Ireland to benefit from newly announced funding worth €700k

Almost €700,000 in Dormant Accounts funding has been announced to support family carers across Ireland. 

The Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys, today (December 12) announced details of the funding, which will place a special focus on empowering carers to avail of training and education opportunities. 

Announcing the successful projects today, Minister Humphreys said, "As Minister for Social Protection, supporting our family carers has always been a key priority of mine. And so today, I am announcing over €700,000 to fund projects the length and breadth of the country that are designed to support family carers and the people they care for.

"I hope that these projects will provide the opportunity to family carers to engage in educational opportunities and training opportunities – further recognising and building on the unique skills they have.” 

Some of the activities that will be funded under the initiative include creating carer friendly work practices and policies, a career skills development programme, and the promotion of well-being and self-care strategies. 

Minister Humphreys continued: "I am delighted that my Department is working with our carers’ organisations to ensure this funding has a really positive impact. We need to make every effort to support family carers where they wish to manage both work and caring responsibilities.

"Our carers play such a vital role in society. They perform a job that so many of us simply could not do. And so, it’s vital that we support them in every way we can – that’s what this initiative is all about.” 

Just under €200,000 has been allocated to Family Carers Ireland in Co Offaly for Career Pathways, which aims to upskill and empower family carers to re-enter or remain in paid employment through targeted interventions. 

The project aims to target 110 family carers and 20 former family farers across 26 counties in Ireland, through a range of activities. 

This includes an increase in employers establishing good practices and supportive workplaces for carers, an increase in employability skills, and an increase in the number of carers engaged in employment skills training through the provision of QQI Level 5 courses. 

Other funding recipients includes IRD Duhallow Company Limited by Guarantee in Co Cork (€50,000), Clarecare Company
Limited by Guarantee in Co Clare (€50,000), Care Alliance Ireland (€198,000) and Peter Bradley Foundation
Company Limited by Guarantee, both based in Co Dublin (€197,228). 

Funding for the Peter Bradley Foundation will go towards the 'On with Training & Work' project, which will support carers of brain injury survivors to access training and employment.

The successful initiatives are due to commence in January 2023 and will run until June 2024. 

A full list of funded projects is available to view here.