Mary Moran (Labour)

I welcome the Minister and I echo the sentiments expressed by Senator Moloney. As the Senator pointed out, large numbers of people have lost their domiciliary care allowance this year. It is difficult for the parents of children with special needs to complete and return a form which requires the provision of extremely detailed information in just 21 days. Most of these parents' days are taken up in caring for their children. This is particularly the case if they have jobs and if they are also obliged to care for their other children. The current timeframe within which people are expected to return the forms to which I refer is not adequate and, like Senator Moloney, I ask that the Minister consider extending it.

Parents whose domiciliary care allowance has been cut in the past year have been left floundering. I spoke to a number of people who lost the €309 per month they received in the form of the allowance and discovered that their children cannot go swimming or access some of the services previously available to them. As Senator Moloney pointed out, many of the conditions with which the children in question are suffering will never improve. It can be extremely upsetting for parents if they and their children are obliged to undergo the trauma of the review process and if they then have their allowances discontinued.