President Catherine Connolly joined family carers, community partners, and local representatives at Carlow’s VISUAL Arts Centre for the launch of South East Technological University’s (SETU) project report, titled ‘Supporting Family Carers Across Ireland’.
The national project is the first of its kind in Ireland in which a higher education institution delivered university courses directly to family carers. Courses were provided to carers free of charge across the country with carers in 25 counties earning SETU certificates (from 2022 to 2025) via the €1million Higher Education Authority (HEA) funded project in partnership with Family Carers Ireland.
The project forms a blueprint for increased support of family carers in Irish society. It highlights not only the ability of carers to engage in higher education, but how they enrich the learning landscape through their lived experience. It is a tangible demonstration of the fundamental importance of supporting those in caring roles.
The event brought together the people at the heart of the project, family carers themselves, whose lived experience, dedication and resilience shaped the initiative. Carers were joined by Professor Veronica Campbell, President of SETU, who officially launched the report, and Sharon Foley, CEO of Family Carers Ireland.
Saluting the project, President Connolly commented: “This project shines a welcome spotlight on the vital, yet all-too-often unseen contribution that family carers across our country perform. Theirs is an extraordinary service, providing compassion, care and stability to loved ones without recognition or reward. I would also like to commend SETU on this important initiative, which highlights the support needs of carers, celebrates their remarkable commitment and dedication, and promotes a greater awareness of their invaluable work.”
Launching the report, Prof Campbell said the project “reflects SETU’s ongoing work to remove barriers to education for learners who face great challenges. We understand the immense contribution that carers make to our society…Your knowledge and experience are profoundly valuable, not only to those you care for, but to the wider community. The report demonstrates a national model for inclusive, lifelong learning adapted to the realities of caregiving.”
Project Coordinator Nicola McEntee added: “This is a wonderful celebration of the impact of higher education that is flexible, inclusive, and designed in partnership with those most in need. It has been an enormous privilege to work on this project alongside our partners at Family Carers Ireland and the Higher Education Authority. The work and support provided by family carers is invaluable to our society.”
According to Family Carers Ireland (2020), family carers provide 19 million hours of unpaid care every week, saving the State €20 billion per annum. In Ireland, over 500,000 people identify as family carers.
Reflecting on the report’s findings, Dr Helen Murphy (SETU’s Head of Faculty of Education and Lifelong Learning) spoke to Dermot Keyes (KCLR News) at the VISUAL Arts Centre in Carlow.
Michael Kenny spoke to KCLR News in Carlow about returning to education with SETU having spent 12 years caring for his father until his death at the age of 91.
