A Sligo/Leitrim TD has told the dail switching the carers allowance to the department of health could free up beds in hospitals.
Fianna Fail's Marc MacSharry was speaking yesterday raised the possibility of using the upcoming Social Welfare Bill to transfer the carers allowance to the control of the health department.
That along with the relaxation of the means test could allow more people to be cared for in their own homes instead of hospital beds according to deputy MacSharry
He says it could allow people with delayed discharges to move on.
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However, the minister for social protection Pascal Donohoe told deputy MacSharry the department of social protection was best placed to make the payments to carers.
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