Over 1,200 carers have qualified for direct payments for the first time, Minister for Social and Family Affairs Séamus Brennan announced yesterday, writes Kitty Holland.
This brings the total number receiving a dedicated weekly income to almost 30,000, he said.
In addition he said some 2,500 existing carers would have their incomes significantly boosted as part of a major new €107 million package of increases, supports and improvements. However, while welcoming the fact that additional carers would be getting the allowance, the Carers Association said the move "didn't go any way far enough to addressing the core issue".
The chief executive of the association, Enda Egan, said the system needed a complete overhaul.
"We have 12,000 carers who are caring full-time in the home and who cannot get the allowance because their spouse or partner works."
Shell to Sea protest at Údarás office
About 100 Shell to Sea protesters staged a demonstration outside the Údarás na Gaeltachta headquarters in Connemara yesterday afternoon, writes John Fallon in Galway.
The Shell to Sea campaigners were protesting about the agency's decision to allow An Garda Síochána and Shell E&P Ireland to use a 500sq m factory it owns in Belmullet,Co Mayo.
Pádhraig Campbell of the Shell to Sea campaign claimed the arrangement was outside the agency's mandate as a social and economic development body. A small number of gardaí remained at a discreet distance during the hour-long protest.
Údarás na Gaeltachta has defended its decision to offer premises in north Mayo to the Garda and Shell E&P Ireland for the Corrib gas project in Ballanaboy.
Chief executive Pádraig Ó hÁoláin said earlier this week that no grant-aid or financial aid was involved in the arrangement and it was perfectly within the agency's mandate.
Údarás na Gaeltachta gave the Garda permission from early last October to use part of its unit as a base, when over 100 extra gardaí were deployed to escort Shell staff and contractors to the Corrib gas terminal site at Bellanaboy. Up to 150 gardaí returned to north Mayo this week to monitor daily early morning protests close to the Shell terminal by residents.
Laois store owners fined €750
Two Co Laois supermarket owners have received a €750 fine after pleading guilty to a failure to display prices on a range of grocery items.
Vincent and Joseph Byrne, owners of Costcutter store, Centre Point shopping centre in Portlaoise, also admitted they failed to provide unit prices for the items. The offences occurred on June 14th last year.
Judge Mary Martin took the guilty plea into account and convicted Costcutter in respect of the first count only, relating to non-display of prices on coasters. Expenses of €250 were also awarded.
The judge also said she noted a marked lack of price display in garage forecourts along the Portlaoise-Dublin route.
Director of Consumer Affairs and chairwoman of the National Consumer Agency Ann Fitzgerald welcomed the decision. "Failing to display prices is breaking the law. Under the Product Prices Regulations 2002, businesses must display the price of all goods on sale to consumers. This legislation is not new. Retailers therefore have no excuse."
Referring to the judge's comment about the lack of display by garage forecourt shops, Ms Fitzgerald said poor compliance levels by garage forecourts and corner shops was a matter of concern. Compliance rates for the sector were about 15 per cent below the overall average.