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Valuing Informal Care in Ireland: Beyond the Traditional Production Boundary

Author

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  • Paul Hanly

    (National College of Ireland)

  • Corina Sheerin

    (National College of Ireland)

Abstract

Measures of economic output captured by traditional national account metrics emphasise the importance of paid work over unpaid work which can lead to inefficient policy decision making. We utilise Irish census data to measure the economic value of informal care in Ireland. Our results reveal the considerable value of informal care in Ireland ranging between €2.1 and €5.5 billion, depending on valuation approach. They also show a gendered distribution of informal care activities and the consequences of transposing market-based gender compensation asymmetries directly onto non-market activity. We discuss evidence of best practice in long-term care policy across Europe, which involves a combination of income supports for informal carers and substantial investment in formal home care provision. We also discuss apparent incongruences in current Government policy, which appears to prioritise a formal residential care model over more community-based care models, contradicting previously stated policy objectives and best practice in Europe.

Suggested Citation

  • Paul Hanly & Corina Sheerin, 2017. "Valuing Informal Care in Ireland: Beyond the Traditional Production Boundary," The Economic and Social Review, Economic and Social Studies, vol. 48(3), pages 337-364.
    • Handle: RePEc:eso:journl:v:48:y:2017:i:3:p:337-364
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    Cited by:

    1. Brendan Walsh & Seán Lyons & Samantha Smith & Maev‐Ann Wren & James Eighan & Edgar Morgenroth, 2020. "Does formal home care reduce inpatient length of stay?," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(12), pages 1620-1636, December.
    2. Janet Fast & Karen A. Duncan & Norah C. Keating & Choong Kim, 2024. "Valuing the Contributions of Family Caregivers to the Care Economy," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 45(1), pages 236-249, March.
    3. Privalko, Ivan & Maître, Bertrand & Watson, Dorothy & Grotti, Raffaele, 2019. "Access to childcare and home care services across Europe: an analysis of the Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC), 2016," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number BKMNEXT383, June.
    4. Walsh, Brendan & Keegan, Conor & Brick, Aoife & Connolly, Sheelah & Bergin, Adele & Wren, Maev-Ann & Lyons, Seán & Hill, Leonie & Smith, Samantha, 2021. "Projections of expenditure for primary, community and long-term care Ireland, 2019–2035, based on the Hippocrates model," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number RS126, June.
    5. Keane, Claire & Seán Lyons & Mark Regan & Walsh, Brendan, 2022. "Home support services in Ireland: Exchequer and distributional impacts of funding options," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number SUSTAT111, June.
    6. Walsh, Brendan & Wren, Maev-Ann & Smith, Samantha & Lyons, Seán & Eighan, James & Morgenroth, Edgar, 2019. "An analysis of the effects on Irish hospital care of the supply of care inside and outside the hospital," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number RS91, June.

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    informal care; Ireland;

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