Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)

While I do not agree with everything in the motion, I welcome the debate. I read some but not all the speeches on this topic. We can all agree on a number of key areas. What families go through when applying to the domiciliary care allowance is something for which they can never be rewarded sufficiently. The carers, loved ones and the person they are minding need all the help they can get. We must constantly try to improve the system of dealing with applications and what we can offer. There is an issue with trying to maximise the use of budgets but we must strive to improve the system. I accept, as does the Minister, that we must try to improve elements in this motion. We can never do enough for any family that needs extra help and attention. In opposition and in government, I always said that I wish we could do more. We cannot do enough but we must try to improve it.

We can certainly try to improve how it is administered. I was struck by the comments of Deputy Pringle, who said that families should not have to wait weeks or months for the appeal process. Deputy Pringle also said that it is vital the system quickly recognises the children and the family. Deputy Pringle is correct that the system does not do so at present and we must recognise when parents and children need more help and additional support. This must apply to the Departments of Health, Social Protection and Education and Skills. It cannot always be a fight and the earlier we make intervention, the better.

I agree it should not always involve massive cost. The Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly, touched on this issue. I do not accept an application or appeal should involve massive cost although it does. There is an onus on everyone involved - the Department and especially GPs - to step up to the mark and do more. Constituents come to Deputies' offices on a daily basis looking for help with applications. On many occasions, it is an application for domiciliary care allowance. I am disappointed with the effort made by GPs on behalf of patients. Their word is better than any Deputy's word to convince people in the Department that someone needs extra help. Hopefully we can make progress on the point. Perhaps this issue will be dealt with in the review process referred to by the Minister last night, so we have better engagement between those who are supposed to know best and the patients.

I am happy the Minister agreed to the 60-day period. It is something we had to move to and I commend the Minister on the change. Families have 60 days to provide information, which should be ample time. It is important everyone retains the payment when the review is finished but this does not always happen. We work must work on it. People will now be told the date of the review if the claim is successful. We would rather there were no reviews but there must be control measures. During the meeting of the Joint Committee on Jobs, Social Protection and Education we had a debate on the need for reviews and control measures. In this area, it is obvious in some cases that the child does not need review. We need more cases where decisions are made that no review is required and the case is put to one side. That can be dealt with in the Minister's review of the system.

Some people talked about transferring this function to the Department of Health. With no offence to the Minister, who has just left the Chamber, that would be a retrograde step. We must give credit to the Department of Social Protection. In opposition and as a member of the Government party, I will say when things are wrong. Not everything is perfect but many positive changes have been made in the Department, which has taken steps in the right direction. If we switch the function to another Department, we will delay the process of change without achieving anything. While I accept some element of the motion, I could not agree with the proposal to return the function to the Department of Health. It is unfair to the Department of Social Protection, which is doing a good job.

I am happy that there is a standard system even though the application form must be changed. There must be room for the family to tell a story. I urge parents to write out the full story over four or five pages, to get across exactly what happens in the house on a daily basis to the decision maker. The application form does not allow for that. I am happy the process is standard throughout the country. My colleagues in County Meath agree that, previously, an address decided the service or grant one received. That is unacceptable because people need to know if they are entitled to something, irrespective of where they are. This is a grey area and we must improve on it and try to get some standards. We must do better in this area and I hope the Minister's review will be timely so that we can make progress. Let us not pick on the wrong staff; this issue concerns volume and the fact that we can never do enough. Let us work together.

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