Labour in Government would abolish the "notorious means test" for the carers' allowance, its social, community and family affairs spokesman has promised.
Mr Tommy Broughan said the party would "transform the carers' allowance into a non-means-tested carers' payment for all full-time carers in the home".
He also promised a carers' premium, an additional allowance for all full-time carers on an existing social welfare benefit, such as widow's pension or disability benefit.
The Dublin North-East TD also pledged to give full recognition for citizens with a disability and their carers through a constitutional amendment, which would read "the State shall endeavour to support persons caring for others within the home".
Cllr Jim Townsend, standing in Carlow-Kilkenny, believed the carers' allowance could be funded by spending the two billion euros the Taoiseach wanted to earmark for the "Bertie Bowl".
Candidates at the conference also highlighted childcare. Former minister and Dublin South candidate, Ms Eithne Fitzgerald, said her party proposed a once-off €300 million investment in childcare infrastructure, which would be funded through borrowing.
Government consultants in 1998 said up to 50,000 extra childcare spaces were needed but last year €50 million of the childcare budget went unspent.
"Dublin has thousands of employers and only 31 workplace creches, but not a single employer has taken up the benefit-in-kind tax relief for childcare."
A former TD, Cllr Kathleen Lynch, criticised the "national scandal" of a lack of properly funded, State-supported childcare.
The party's health spokeswoman, Ms Liz McManus, said Labour would "guarantee a good-quality health service to all our citizens when they need it and not just for those who can afford to pay".
Fianna Fáil's record was "much corruption and little contrition" she said. "Too many pub openings and too few openings of hospital wards. too many photo-opportunities yet no opportunity to get your child's teeth done, or your medical card or your hip replacement operation."
The party's education spokeswoman, Ms Roisin Shortall, said that if Labour were elected to Government, the State would "meet the full running costs of all primary and second-level schools and end the need for voluntary contributions".