Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)

The domiciliary allowance is a monthly payment made to families with children who have disabilities so severe that they require care, attention or supervision substantially in excess of that required by other children of the same age. I am sure the Taoiseach is aware that this morning, parents from the Domiciliary Care Allowance, DCA, Warriors group travelled to the Dáil to raise again the issue of allowances for the families of children with disabilities. When they arrived, they invited him and his Government to walk a mile in their children's shoes. I applaud them for their campaigning work on these issues. I want the Taoiseach to explain to the Dáil why the Government felt it necessary to write to the thousands of families in receipt of this payment and to place the payment under threat. He should be aware of the real anxiety and worry the review letters that were sent out have caused.

The stress to which I refer is added to by the unfairness relating to and lack of transparency in the decision-making process used to award the allowance in the first instance. The Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton, announced last month that she would review this process. I welcome that development. When will the review be completed? Will the Taoiseach give a commitment that while the process is under way, no parent or child will have the domiciliary care allowance cut off?

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