Care and Capitalism. Kathleen Lynch

particularly in Ireland in terms of the whole culture and the whole thing. That is just the way it is. It’s taken for granted. Nobody really cares at the end of the day … Society doesn’t appreciate it; the Government doesn’t appreciate it either’ (Paula, employed full-time, separated mother of four children, of whom three were adults and one school-going, in Lynch, Baker and Lyons 2009: 80–1).

      18 18 ‘We [carers] don’t exist, we get the usual pat on the head at election time, [we are] patronised. We don’t exist. As long as you are prepared to do it, they will wring their hands and say you have done a great job and leave it to that’ (Tom, single man, caring full-time for his father, in Lynch, Baker and Lyons 2009: 82).