Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

My point is there is no seamless transfer from domiciliary care allowance to another payment. Very often the response is that the child needs no more care or attention than any child of a similar age. I challenge that response and I have had countless issues to deal with over the years. It means that very often, that child is an indefinite burden on the parent or parents, as the case may be, because no payment is received and then at a later stage, the parents suddenly find out that they are unable to continue due to insufficient resources. All I ask is for the Minister to consider this matter and find out how this aspect affects individual parents. Incidentally, I have seen cases where under no stretch of the imagination could it be assumed that the child, who is now an adult, needed no more care or attention than any other child of a similar age. I have spoken to the Minister about this matter before and I have no doubt that I will speak to her about it again.

I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for allowing me to expand on this issue. I am sure he will be glad to know that I must depart to attend an adjoining meeting, which is still in session. I am supposed to attend there as well.