Ms Clare Duffy:

Ms Ryan mentioned fundraising. I would point to another issue we could add to our list of anomalies. I have dealt with a few cases recently where families in very difficult situations have had people raise money through the GoFundMe platform. Such money is assessable in a means test for carer's allowance. For families with a child who has been diagnosed, for example, with cancer, for whom €100,000 has been raised, that GoFundMe money is assessable and the family can lose their carer’s allowance. Anything that can be liquidated or accessed immediately is included in the means test. I would stress the Department does not want to do that. The people who operate the system in Longford do not want to do that. They contacted us to advise the legislation does not allow for this relatively new phenomenon. It is another anomaly in the system.

They do not want to do this but they have to.