FCI Announces Transformative Collaboration with Eli Lilly to Support Family Carers Nationwide

Pictured from left to right are Dave Riordan, Vice President & Site Head Lilly Limerick; Catherine Cox, Head of Communications & Policy, Family Carers Ireland; Eileen Aherne, National Fundraising Manager, Family Carers Ireland; Tara Tibbs, Senior Vice President & Site Head Lilly Kinsale; Mike Smith, Vice President & General Manager Lilly GBS.

Tuesday 7th January 2025: Family Carers Ireland, the national charity supporting Ireland’s 500,000+ family carers, is collaborating with Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly), a global leader in healthcare innovation, to deliver critical supports to family carers across the country. This transformative multi-year initiative includes a financial contribution of €750,000.

Family carers provide vital support in the home to loved ones living with additional needs, chronic illnesses, disabilities, or age-related conditions, often under significant financial, emotional, and physical strain. The funding will enable expanded respite services, activities for carers, and the development of a volunteer program, alongside enhancements to the charity’s IT infrastructure and work to increase awareness of the vital contribution family carers make to Irish society.

As part of the collaboration, Lilly employees across the company’s three Irish sites- manufacturing plants in Kinsale and Limerick and a Global Business Solutions Centre in Little Island, and its commercial team based around the country, will contribute their time and expertise through volunteering, directly supporting FCI’s initiatives and family carers in their local communities.

Family carers across Ireland provide an estimated 19 million hours of unpaid care every week, saving the State approximately €20 billion annually. Despite their indispensable role, many carers continue to grapple with insufficient supports, financial strain, and emotional exhaustion. Family Carers Ireland works to ensure these contributions do not go unnoticed, supporting family carers and young carers through the provision of free emergency care planning, counselling, wellbeing support, crisis management, respite and peer support groups.

In its 2024 report, The State of Caring, Family Carers Ireland revealed that 72% of carers have never received respite. Additionally, nearly 70% of carers find it difficult to make ends meet, and over a third report that their accommodation does not meet the needs of the person they care for.

Tara Tibbs, Senior Vice President and General Manager at Lilly’s Kinsale manufacturing site, emphasised the significance of this initiative:

"We are driven by a commitment to make life better—not just through the medicines we create, but by making a genuine difference in the communities we serve.

"Lilly Ireland is really proud to collaborate with Family Carers Ireland on this initiative, giving us the opportunity to directly support the people who dedicate themselves to caring for their loved ones. We are excited to get stuck in and hopefully enrich the fantastic work Family Carers Ireland already does.”

Catherine Cox, Head of Communications and Policy at Family Carers Ireland, shared her appreciation for the support: "Family carers play an essential role in our society, often providing care at great personal sacrifice. Lilly’s generous support will allow us to improve our services, raise awareness of the challenges carers face, and offer them opportunities for respite and community engagement."

Family Carers Ireland provides a range of services designed to meet carers’ diverse individual needs, including peer support groups, education programs, respite services, and emergency planning assistance. Through their national Freephone Careline, in person and online resources, they work tirelessly to support family carers to care safely and with confidence.

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About Family Carers Ireland

Family Carers Ireland is the national charity supporting the 500,000+ family carers across the country who care for loved ones such as children or adults with additional needs, physical or intellectual disabilities, frail older people, those with palliative care needs or those living with chronic illnesses, mental health challenges, or addiction. It provides a range of services and supports for family carers through its Carer Support Centres nationwide and through its National Freephone Careline 1800 24 07 24. See www.familycarers.ie for more information. 

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About Eli Lilly:

Lilly is a medicine company turning science into therapies to make life better for people around the world. We've been pioneering life-changing discoveries for nearly 150 years, and today our medicines help more than 51 million people across the globe. Harnessing the power of biotechnology, chemistry and genetic medicine, our scientists are advancing new discoveries to address some of the world's most significant health challenges. With each step toward a healthier world, we're motivated by one thing: making life better for millions more people.

About Eli Lilly in Ireland:

Eli Lilly has had a presence in Ireland for over four decades, employing more than 3,500 people across its sites in Kinsale, Little Island, and Limerick and the Commerical Team. The Kinsale manufacturing site is renowned for its high-tech production of active ingredients for Lilly medicines, while the Global Business Solutions center in Little Island provides end-to-end support for the company's global operations. A new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility is currently under construction in Raheen, Limerick, set to begin operations in 2026.