Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me raise this issue and I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Tim O'Malley, who will respond.

Although the case I will outline is one I know well, it is probably a mirror image of many other cases around the country. I have come across similar instances previously and I wanted to raise the issue because of my disgust at the way many of these carers are being treated by the Department.

I want to paint a picture of the circumstances of a person in my constituency with which I am sure the Acting Chairman, Deputy O'Shea, can empathise. I speak of an 82 year old widow living on her own in a house rented from the local authority. As the years go by, she becomes less mobile and more dependent and she has nobody to look after her. Therefore, her daughter, who is living in London, decides that she will do what is right and come home to look after her mother for the necessary period, be that a number of months or years. Her daughter has voluntarily come home to look after her mother.

This 82 year old widow has given good service to the State. She brought up her family to respect the State and get on with their work. She never abused the State or did anything like that. She played her part and was an honourable member of society.

At this time in her life, she should be at the stage where the State is responding to her needs. She would need a home help and sooner rather than later may well need care in a nursing home.

That care, which should be provided by the State, is being provided by her daughter. Having given up her position in London, she came home to look after her mother and applied, in the normal way as an Irish citizen, for carer's allowance. This application, the processing of which took quite a long of time, was met with a refusal.

When we investigated why the application was refused, we were told it was because of means. As this lady had provided all the necessary information, we investigated further and discovered the lady in question has an apartment in London. Having lived there much of her life, obviously she would have acquired an apartment. This apartment is mortgaged. When she came home to live and look after her mother, she could not afford to pay for the mortgage in London — which is quite obvious given that she did not have an income — so she rented the apartment. The rent on the apartment in London is covering the mortgage, which is reasonable in the circumstances.

The Department has told her that because she has this property in London, it must be valued. Even though she receives no income from it, it is because she has this apartment that she is now being refused carer's allowance. Did the House ever hear such a ridiculous scenario? This person gave up her lifestyle, her friends and her position in London to come back and look after her mother, to do what is honourable. What do we do to her when she is providing a service to the State? We give her a kick in the teeth. We say that because she is wise and has her own apartment in London, we will not give her carer's allowance. How ridiculous can we get? I have come across many other such cases. I have met people who have come home from America having lived there for years to look after elderly parents and they are treated in the same way. I am sure the Cathaoirleach has also come across this issue in his constituency.

This is fundamentally flawed, particularly in the way it affects the provision of care. What better care can an elderly person get than the care of his or her own family in his or her home? Why are people being treated like this? Does the Government want to fill private nursing homes or put more people into institutions? I call on the Minister of State to examine this case, which is one of many, in a sympathetic way. I hope, having heard the story, he will empathise with it and will deliver good news.

See this speech in context