Joanne Collins (Sinn Fein)

I want to raise an issue I have raised as a Commencement matter twice, but since it is pressing I said I would raise it again today. It concerns the waiting times for domiciliary care allowance appeals. I am dealing with the case of a County Limerick family who have been waiting for 36 weeks just to hear back on the appeals process.Every time they ask, they are told it is in progress and still on a desk. The parents contacted me and described their 12-year-old daughter as a gentle child who faces daily challenges, sensory sensitivities, social anxiety, communication barriers and a need for routine and regulation. She cannot attend parties, play sport or participate in most school activities. She still needs full support with hygiene, self-care, co-ordination and everyday skills. She has been on a waiting list with the HSE for occupational, psychological and speech and language therapies since last October. While the family does everything that they can, they are exhausted and financially strained at this point. Their application for domiciliary care allowance in July 2024 was refused. They appealed in August and, 36 weeks later, were told that their case has not even been assigned to an appeals officer. They feel invisible and they are not alone.

I attended an online training session with the Department of Social Protection only a couple of weeks ago. The officials pointed out that their fastest-growing payment area is disability and illness. They have recognised that there is a backlog with appeals going back to just post Covid. When Covid hit, everything got backlogged. I ask for the Minister for Social Protection to come to the House to have a debate on this. Are there plans to recruit or second additional staff to the appeals office in order that families like this one are not waiting this long for an answer? Will the staffing increase match the growing demand the Department has foreseen in the sector? Will it second to the office and bring in staff to alleviate these appeal times?