Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The motion to extend medical cards to ill and disabled children would be an immediate, clear, simple and direct step to aiming the moneys of the State directly where it would have most effect and reach those who are most in need.

Tá an córas liúntais seo bunaithe ar riachtanais an linbh. Dá bharr sin, tá sé ag déileáil le páistí a bhfuil an-tinn agus tá cur chuige faoi leith ag teastáil. Caithfear an méid sin a rá freisin faoi na cartaí go mba chóir a bheith ar fáil tríd an bpolasaí seo.

The domiciliary care allowance is by no means perfect. According to the last annual report of the Social Welfare Appeals Office, 1,258 applications for domiciliary care allowance were appealed, with only 313 given a revised decision. In the context of the number of people who would apply for it, that is a substantial number. Anecdotally, I am aware that many families must go through a long and difficult process. Deputy O'Reilly referred to having to battle the State every step of the way to get this payment processed. In that context, it is worth recalling that to qualify a child must be deemed to have a disability so severe that the child requires care and attention substantially in excess of another child of the same age. That is a very high threshold. Many families have to go down the appeals route, which is a further hardship for parents who have been already seriously overburdened and put under pressure. That is a matter that needs to be resolved. I ask the Minister to take that up with the Minister for Social Protection.

In the context of this policy, I am encouraged that the Minister intends to support the motion, which is a vitally important step that needs to be progressed urgently. That being the case, the point Deputy O'Reilly made about this being available without a means test and immune from changes to household finances is crucially important. Already, these families have to fight every step of the way to ensure that their children get the services they deserve. They should not have to fight harder, and again, for those medical cards.

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