Member's statement: Carers Week 2026
Member's statement by Ms Sinéad McLaughlin on .
- MLA
- Ms Sinéad McLaughlin
- Party at the time
- Social Democratic and Labour Party
- Date
- 9 June 2026
- Type
- Member's statement
- Business
- Members' Statements
- Heading
- Carers Week 2026
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5601491
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I welcome the opportunity to mark Carers Week and to recognise the extraordinary contribution that carers make to our society every single day. Across Northern Ireland, hundreds of thousands of people provide unpaid care for a family member, a friend, a neighbour or a loved one. They support elderly parents, they care for children with complex needs and they provide comfort and dignity to those who are facing illness or disability. Their contribution is invaluable, and I thank them. Without carers, our health and social care system would struggle to cope; indeed, I would argue that it would collapse. Carers save our public services billions of pounds every single year, but their value cannot be measured in financial terms alone. They provide compassion, stability and support for those who need it the most; yet, too often, carers feel overlooked. Many carers face financial pressures, poor mental health and isolation. Many are trying to balance caring responsibilities with work, often with very little support and very few protections. Too many people are forced to reduce their hours, turn down opportunities or leave employment altogether because caring for a loved one becomes impossible to balance with work. We know that that burden falls disproportionately on women. Around 60% of unpaid carers are women, and many find their careers and earning potential limited because they have stepped in to provide care where support has been lacking. That is why employment rights matter. For carers, access to leave and flexibility can mean the difference between staying in work and leaving it altogether. That is why the 'good jobs' Bill is so important. The Bill has the potential to deliver important new rights for working carers, including for carers' leave. It is an opportunity to build a labour market that recognises the realities of our modern life and supports those who care for others in their community.
Unfortunately, that legislation continues to be held up in the Executive. Every month of delay is another month in which carers are left waiting for protections that could make a real difference to their lives. For many carers, the debate is not about legislation but about whether they can accompany a loved one to a hospital appointment, respond to a crisis or continue caring without sacrificing their job. The SDLP has consistently supported the introduction of paid carers' leave, because the right of people —
— who cannot afford to use it —.
405 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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