With just weeks to go before the General Election the group representing carers is reminding politicians not to forget about them.

Family Carers Ireland has said those who stay at home to look after loved ones save the State around €11m each day.

But they claim the next Government will need to invest heavily if they are to stop them from falling into a poverty trap.

Carers also report suffering from isolation, depression, poor health and exclusion from the jobs market.

Carers spokesperson Catherine Cox has said voters should ask candidates their views on the issue: “What we are asking politicians is that we get fairness for family carers and by that we mean that family carers are not financially burdened as a result of their caring role.

“We are asking that this new Government would look at investing in the future of young carers and I suppose a big and very important one is that they publish and they implement phase two of the national carers strategy.”