Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I speak to many applicants for carer's allowance, domiciliary care allowance, disability allowance and other payments. They believe the State is fighting them every step of the way. That is what I am hearing from them. Of course, I understand the application process has to be stringent and diligent, but I believe we have gone way over the top with red tape. I will give an example from my constituency. In December 2017 a woman was awarded full-rate carer's allowance in respect of her son. She then discovered that she would have an additional entitlement to a half-rate carer's allowance in respect of her daughter who had just been approved for receipt of domiciliary care allowance.

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She was getting one and then she was applying for the half one. The Department had assessed her means for the first one in respect of her son and it had the medical for her daughter's domiciliary care allowance yet the application for an additional half rate carers allowance was treated as a new applicant. That is a waste of time and space. It is so simple. These are just a few examples. I could give several. She was already assessed for her son and then her daughter's case came along she had to go through the whole lot again.

I also want to raise the issue of undocumented carers. Applicants who are just over the means or just outside the medical requirements and miss out on a payment, GP visit card and carer support grant are still having to leave work anyway to care for a loved one with a severe illness. Can the Minister look at this?

Has the Minister any plans to increase the carers allowance, domiciliary care allowance or disability allowance payment in the coming budget? That has been asked but I will throw it in anyway.

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