Denis Landy (Labour)

I concur with the views of my colleagues, Senators John Kelly, John Whelan and Jimmy Harte, on crime and the lawlessness on our streets. I too call for a debate on this issue in the autumn.

A number of years ago there was a raft of crime in rural Ireland. The Garda set up an operation to intercept the gangs leaving the capital and travelling to the west and the south. They stopped them very successfully. We need some similar action now. Senator Martin Conway mention the robbery of post offices. In my area, a criminal gang knocked out the electricity in a community and then proceeded to rob house after house while the people were in their own houses. This has put the fear of God into these people for the rest of their lives. This must stop. The Garda must take the initiative to make it stop.

I wish to raise cases that have come to my attention in respect of the payment of the carer's allowance. I am sure some of my colleagues have been acting on behalf of people during the past 14 months following election to the Seanad. The difficulty is that the goalposts are constantly being shifted by the Department. I call on the Leader to ask the Minister to do four specific things: to have a clear definition of the criteria for eligibility for and to be granted the carer's allowance; to have clear instructions on what medical evidence is needed from the outset to qualify for the carer's allowance; to have clear instructions on the responsibilities of the carer who is applying for the allowance; and to have a clear timeframe on the processing of these applications. What is happening is totally unacceptable. During the past 14 months I have been trying to follow up the case of man who is suffering from cancer and his partner applied for a carer's allowance to look after him. That is unacceptable.

I thank the Cathaoirleach, the Seanad staff and my colleagues for their forbearance with the novice Senators like myself.