John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

No, it is specifically about carer's benefit. I have come across a number of emergency cases where an elderly person ends up in hospital, often as a result of a fall or a stroke, and the person will not be able to go home without a carer. When somebody who is working applies for carer's benefit, it takes an age to have it processed. The person applies to take time off work but is afraid to take that time off because he or she does not know if he or she will get a payment. It seems to take forever. As it is not means tested but is contribution-based, I do not understand why this cannot be done in a week or two in a case where there is a medical report and somebody is in a hospital.