Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I recognise that there is some positivity in the Minister of State's answer. However, I am informed that it takes between nine and 18 months to make a decision. Are applicants for domciliary care allowance and carer's allowance waiting for periods between nine and 18 months? Neither figure was mentioned by the Minister of State who gave average waiting times. Persons in need of care cannot wait for decisions. There is something wrong with a system that, by the Minister of State's own admission, has an in-built delay of 17 weeks. We know on the ground that the delay is much longer. In addition, there is an appeals system which results in further delays. What is the Minister of State saying to those at home in need and those who are exhausted in providing care which they do with love because they have been beaten down by the system?

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