John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister outlined some of the financial criteria. I am glad he outlined some of the medical criteria that are needed. Last week I was made aware of a man who applied for carer's allowance to look after his wife. There was a letter of refusal from the Department and this has been sent to the Minister. The letter stated his wife, whom he was seeking to become a carer for, was not ill enough. His wife is terminally ill with cancer. She has been fighting cancer for ten years. Her husband, who is a full-time carer, applied for the carer's allowance and was turned down on the basis that she was not ill enough. That highlights to me, if anything ever did, there is a problem with the criteria being applied here. I ask the Minister again to examine the criteria that are applied in applications for carer's allowance.

The Minister indicated a 19% increase in applications being submitted. There is a considerable delay in assessing those applications and in appeals being turned around. There are significant problems, but especially around the criteria. I ask the Minister to re-examine the criteria. That is a graphic case and there are many other genuine cases. The Minister stated he was concerned that genuine cases are being turned down. That is one example of many.

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