Improvements to supports for family carers are a huge step forward.
That's according to the regional chair of Family Carers Ireland Caroline Poole.
Minister Heather Humphries has today announced an increase in the weekly threshold for a single carer to 350 euro a week, while couples can now earn up to 750 a week.
The amount that someone can have in savings has also increased from 20 to 50 thousand euro, meaning thousands more will now qualify for the payment.
Family Carers are also welcoming news that the Minister will react positively to a recommendation from the Pensions Commission that long term carers of over 20 years be given access to a contributory state pension.
Speaking on the Joe Finnegan Show Caroline says a lot of work has been done but more is needed including the total abolition of the means test.
''Certainly having a pension for long term carers is absolutely brilliant, you know, and the disregard having that increased that's absolutely splendid. And I suppose our next step is that we believe that we should be moving towards the abolition of the Means Test for family carers.''
