More than 300 full-time carers and supporters have protested outside Leinster House to demand the restoration of a cut to the Respite Care Grant.
However, Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton has insisted the reduction was necessary.
The Government announced in Wednesday's Budget that there would be a 19% cut, worth €325, to the grant.
Approximately 75,000 full-time carers will be affected by the reduction, which is expected to save the Exchequer €26m next year.
Some protesters came from as far away as Donegal.
They said they cared for elderly people who are ill and have disabilities of all ages.
They told journalists the cut deprived them of three days of annual leave.
Several opposition TDs and Senators met the protesters outside Leinster House.
Family carers from Co Clare, who were not in a position to attend the Dublin protest, also protested in Ennis.
Catherine Cox of the Carers' Association said they are still hopeful the Government would reverse the cut, despite Minister Burton's statement earlier that the measure will stand.
Ms Burton said she regrets any cuts in social welfare contained in the Budget, but insisted they were necessary.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, she said her department had to make savings in line with all the others, but she had managed to reduce the amount of cuts originally envisaged.
Asked whether she thought the cut to the respite grant was fair, Ms Burton said core social weekly payments to carers and those with disabilities had been protected, and these were the really important payments.
Ms Burton said that despite the cuts, €20bn would still be spent on the social welfare budget next year.
"At this point in time, in terms of the country being able to borrow, to pay for social welfare, health and education, we have to meet the requirements of the lenders, and the requirements of the lenders are that we find savings," she added.
Shortall wants alternatives
Roisin Shortall has urged backbench TDs, especially those from Labour, to seek out alternative cost-cutting measures and put pressure on ministers to "recast" the Budget.
Speaking on RTÉ's Today with Pat Kenny, Ms Shortall said while it was not easy to make €3.5bn of adjustments, the Government had choices and unfortunately the ones they made will cause a lot of hardship to people.
"Some €500m or €600m can be achieved through fairer measures and I would strongly appeal to members of the Government to spend the next few days identifying those," she said.
"They're straight forward, they can be found, they can be delivered, and to put maximum pressure on ministers in order to change this Budget."
As an example, she said the abolition of pension tax reliefs should be introduced in January next year rather than in 2014.
She said that would raise €250m, and would solve a lot of problems.
However, Taoiseach Enda Kenny has defended what he described as the "toughest Budget of this administration".
Despite concerns about some Labour backbenchers, Mr Kenny said the Budget would be passed.
"Budget 2013 puts us in a position where we can measure up," he added.
"It is time for courage and conviction in order to get the right changes."
He said the Budget changes were required to ensure Ireland exited the bailout programme.
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