Annual Carers’ Forum

The Department of Social Protection (DSP) hosts the Annual Carers’ Forum each year, bringing together officials from DSP and other relevant government departments and agencies, carer representative groups and individual family carers.

The purpose of the Forum is to provide carers with a voice at policy level. It also provides an opportunity for engagement between officials and people experiencing care issues first-hand.

The Annual Carers’ Forum forms part of the DSP’s commitments under the National Carers’ Strategy (NCS). This is a cross-departmental strategy, led by the Department of Health, that sets the direction for future policies, services and supports provided by government departments and agencies for carers.

This year’s Annual Carers’ Forum will take place on Thursday 7 May, 10am to 1pm. To engage with as many Carers as possible, the forum will be a hybrid event, with an online option to join remotely.

You are invited to watch the Carers Forum live online.

Online Agenda:

10.30: Welcome & Opening Remarks (Teresa Leonard, Deputy Secretary General, Department of Social Protection)

10.10: Presentations:

• State Supports for Family Carers over the past 20 years (Liam O’Sullivan, CEO, Care Alliance Ireland)
• The National Council of Family Carers: Strengthening the Voice of Family Carers (Sharon Foley, CEO, Family Carers Ireland & Jackie Kiernan and Janet Rose, National Council of Family Carers)

11.05: Address by the Minister for Social Protection, Dara Calleary TD

Ø (Break in live coverage – resumes at approximately 12.15.)

12.15: Plenary Session with feedback from carer workshops

12.50: Closing Remarks (Rónán Hession, Assistant Secretary, Department of Social Protection)

13.00: End of Forum

Slido App

You can give comments and feedback in real time on the Slido app by:

• clicking on the following link: https://app.sli.do/event/iBSBaEw7Y25nCaLBdnyE2G
• going to slido.com and entering the code #CarersForum2026
• or scanning the QR Code below

The Annual Carers’ Forum 2025 took place on Wednesday 28 May.

A note of the proceedings of the Annual Carers’ Forum 2025 is available below. You can also find the presentations made on the day by Care Alliance Ireland (CAI) and Family Carers Ireland (FCI).

Note on Annual Carers' Forum 2025

Care Alliance Ireland presentation to Annual Carers' Forum 2025

Family Carers Ireland presentation to Annual Carers' Forum 2025

The Annual Carers’ Forum 2024 took place on Wednesday 22 May and can be viewed below:

(L to R: Teresa Leonard - Deputy Secretary General DSP, Zoe Hughes – CAI, Clare Duffy - FCI, Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys TD, Liam O’Sullivan – CEO, CAI and Catherine Cox – FCI)

A note of the proceedings of the Annual Carers’ Forum 2024 along with the presentations made on the day by Care Alliance Ireland (CAI) and Family Carers Ireland (FCI) are available below.

Note on Annual Carers’ Forum 2024

Care Alliance Ireland –The Online Family Carer Support Group Ireland – 4 Years On

Family Carers Ireland – Building a Community of Caring Employers

This year’s Annual Carers’ Forum took place on Wednesday 17 May 2023 and it can be viewed online here.

A Note of the proceedings of the Annual Carers’ Forum 2023 is available below, along with the presentations made on the day by Care Alliance Ireland and Family Carers Ireland.

Note on Annual Carers' Forum 2023

Care Alliance Ireland: Re-emerge The Next chapter is for you

Family Carers Ireland Presentation: Intensive Support Service An Overview and Case Study

The Annual Carers’ Forum 2022 was held online on 31 May 2022.

A Note of the proceedings of the Annual Carers’ Forum 2022 is available to read below.