Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

I raise the matter of the payment of domiciliary care allowances in County Westmeath. Perhaps this pertains to many other counties but I am dealing with the problems in County Westmeath. Apparently, the position is that domiciliary care allowance claims received in the latter part of 2005 are being assessed and the waiting time for a decision is at least 18 months. Nobody can understand why it is taking so many months for a decision.

Many people are waiting for this payment, principally mothers with children who require particular care — that is the reason for the domiciliary care allowance. It is a very useful payment because often a mother must get somebody into the home if she has to go somewhere or special materials must be provided. It is scandalous that people must wait a year and half to be assessed as to their suitability to be granted the domiciliary care allowance. I am not blaming the Minister of State but the system. That is the nub of the problem.

A medical assessment must take place but surely it should not take 18 months to decide if a child is eligible and for the parent or guardian to be given the domiciliary care allowance. I told those with whom I spoke that I would raise this issue in the House because I was quite gobsmacked, to put it mildly, that it should take 18 months for a decision.