The Government announced over a year ago that it planned to review the domiciliary care allowance in order to reduce costs. Since then there has been a relentless assault on children with special needs and the domiciliary care allowance and this is unacceptable and wrong in my view. As a result of the reviews to date, nearly 50% of children with autism and with serious special needs have lost their payments. There seems to be a deliberate premeditated pattern of focusing on children with autism and removing their domiciliary care allowance. I doubt if there is a Deputy in this House who has not encountered parents of children with special needs, and, in particular, parents of children with autism, who have lost the domiciliary care allowance. I refer to a most insulting comment contained in the letter which has been received by parents which states: "The needs of your child are no greater than the need of any average six year-old." Parents of children with autism and with special needs generally regard this statement, which emanates from the Minister for Social Protection and the Department, as incomprehensible. It betrays a lack of any idea of what issues and challenges are faced by a child with autism in his or her life. These challenges are multiple. For some reason, these children have been targeted in this review of the domiciliary care allowance. When this cut is combined with the cut in the family income supplement and in the carer's allowance, I assure the Taoiseach this is having a devastating impact on the families concerned. Will the Taoiseach initiate a root and branch change to the manner in which the domiciliary care allowances are being reviewed throughout the length and breadth of the country?

I assure Deputy Martin that I can empathise with every parent in the country who has a challenge and a changed set of priorities once it becomes obvious to them that a child born to them or under their care has a particular set of problems. As Deputy Martin is well aware, the vocabulary changes entirely and also the entire emphasis of a family changes in respect of what might be the best possible support base for each individual child. The Deputy will be aware that the Minister for Social Protection has commissioned a report into the domiciliary care allowance. In light of that report, the Minister, no more than anyone else, is always anxious to have the best possible support put in place for every child. It would be wonderful to be able to assume we had unlimited funds to deal exclusively-----

The Taoiseach is on the wrong issue.

-----with the range of problems that affect children. I know from my own experience that parents of children who are deemed to be on the autistic spectrum can face a range of difficulties, some of which create significant challenges. However, some children progress very well and I refer to young people who have been categorised as autistic and who have graduated from third level colleges. It is therefore a case of continuously looking at what is in the best interests of each child. I take the Deputy's point about having a root and branch analysis of the domiciliary care allowance, which has grown over the years to broad proportions. I will certainly communicate what the Deputy has said to the Minister for Social Protection who is anxious to have allowances that are most effective in the interests of those they serve, as well as for their parents. I do not disagree with the Deputy's point about the need for an ongoing assessment of the nature, scale and effective quality of these kind of allowances.

The Taoiseach has missed the point completely. The issue is not about the review of payments at the age of 16 that the Minister has initiated. I am talking about children as young as four to eight years of age whose domiciliary allowances are being taken from them because of desk-top reviews. I met the parents concerned outside the gates of Leinster House this morning and I have also met them in my constituency. They say there have been no face-to-face meetings with medical personnel or other specialists. I have seen reports of individual children with consultants and specialists on autism which identify the range of challenges they face. The Taoiseach is out of touch with these issues. The Minister has refused to meet with the parents concerned. They said again this morning that they have met no Government Ministers despite requests.

Does the Deputy have a question?

They were due to meet the Minister for Social Protection but 20 minutes beforehand they were advised that the meeting would not go ahead. I am not talking about a review, I want a change of policy. Since this system moved from the Department of Health to the Department of Social Protection it is clear there is a deliberate policy afoot to target children with autism by removing their domiciliary care allowance entitlement.

It is shameful.

It is having a devastating impact on families who up to now have used that money for therapeutic interventions, including occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and a range of other special needs therapies. Why is it that the cuts the Taoiseach has initiated are hitting the most vulnerable in our society above and beyond anybody else? It is not just me who is saying so, independent commentators are also saying it. We have had enough empathy and all this vague talk of reviews.

Does the Deputy have a supplementary question?

I want a change of policy. Will the Taoiseach confirm that he will change the policy as it is being implemented for autistic children?

Deputy Martin is quite well aware that a review or evaluation of any entitlement either brings change or a continuation of the status quo. I reject his charge that the Minister for Social Protection and the Government are targeting autistic children.

The reality is different.

I have a dozen such cases on my desk.

Please, Deputies.

The chorus is very strong today. I reject that charge. As the Deputy is well aware, there is an evaluation process for every entitlement. If he is talking about a review of the evaluation process, that is always taken into account.

No, I want a policy change.

An evaluation process brings with it an eligibility of conditions that apply. I reject out of hand the Deputy's assertion that the Government is targeting autistic children-----

The Taoiseach should ask his backbenchers.

-----to remove deliberately a consideration from them that they currently have. I do not know what group of parents Deputy Martin met.

The people concerned asked me to give the Taoiseach these letters.

That is fine. I meet others around the country regularly but I did not meet that group today. I have no objection to receiving that material from the Deputy and we will respond to it. I want the Deputy to understand, however, that I do not at all accept the question of deliberately targeting autistic children. Over many years, there has been an evaluation process for every entitlement or allowance given. I would be happy to ask the Minister for Social Protection to respond to the correspondence the Deputy has been given.