Marie Moloney (Labour) | Oireachtas source

With regard to the carer's allowance, I ask the Tánaiste to give her commitment to retain the half-rate carer's allowance in the forthcoming budget. With regard to the disability allowance, problems arise in the processing of applications. If the application is refused on medical grounds, the appeal can take up to ten to 12 months. If the applicant wins the appeal, he or she may have to wait months for means testing because it was not carried out in the first instance.

I am also encountering problems involving people who are very sick but are finding it difficult to access invalidity pensions when the two-year period for illness benefit expires. They cannot return to work because their GPs will not allow them to do so but they have nowhere to turn to because the medical officer is saying they are fit for alternative work, which is not quite true.

The third issue I wish to raise may seem minor but it is a big issue to some people. When one applies for illness benefit, the only choice on the form is in regard to whether it should be paid to the employer or into a bank account.

However, there is certainly no facility to go through the post offices, which we are trying to keep alive and kicking. Perhaps the Department could examine that in order to give people a choice.