Frances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael)

I welcome the fact the Minister of State has stated each case is decided based on individual circumstances. He also stated "the level of the parents' involvement in the welfare of the child" forms part of the criteria. Will he bring to the attention of the Minister for Social and Family Affairs that in some areas any contact with the child — as I stated, even the giving of a present to the child who, effectively, is with the grandparents on a full-time basis — is being used as a reason to declare the grandparents ineligible? It involves the interpretation of the level of the parents' involvement and contact. I ask the Minister of State to go back to the Minister for Social and Family Affairs on the issue and ask that guidelines be issued in this regard. While it is not nice to say, many of these children are, effectively, abandoned by their parents, but there are attempts to maintain some contact. However, the grandparent then risk losing the payment and are being put in a difficult position in trying look after the child.