Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I agree the means test for carer's allowance is quite generous but my question is not directed towards the actual monetary calculation for entitlement to those benefits. Rather, it concerns the physical examination. It has been contended that in applications for carer's allowance, insufficient consideration is given to the totality of the situation and that there is too much focus on the extent of the physical, as opposed to mental, illness of the person cared for. It has also been represented to me that in respect of applications for disability allowance, a person who is claiming mental disability rather than physical disability seems to be at a distinct disadvantage unless they happen to be very bad. I have seen concrete examples of this and I think the statistics would show that. The Minister will be aware that there was an examination of domiciliary care allowance. As a result of that, things like the application form were changed and a new assessment system was put in place. Is anything similar in mind for carer's allowance and disability allowance?

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