I raised this issue last week in the Dáil and I hoped the Taoiseach would be here to address it today. While the programme for Government says that there should be better public services, there is a 12, 14 or 16 week waiting list now for carer's allowance which is causing huge problems for families. We are interacting every day with families making decisions on the provision of care in their own homes for loved ones who get sick. They are looking for the carer's allowance but it is not forthcoming. The whole of Government must address this desperately serious issue and apply the resources through the Department to ensure applications for carer's allowance are determined in a timely manner and within two or three weeks.

I am not sure if the Deputy was here last week for Oral Questions, but we have extended considerable new resources to look at carer's benefit and carer's allowance payments. We have reduced the waiting period from 19 weeks last year, which was wholly unacceptable, to 14 weeks this year. That is the direct result of the allocation of extra staff resources to the Department and of the new form we worked hard on in conjunction with the Irish Carers' Association to simplify the process. The fact remains, however, that it is a medically assessed scheme and it is a different matter to apply to it than to apply to some of our other schemes. A great deal of the information we require is medically difficult to ascertain and adjudicate on and that is why it takes a long time. However, we have reduced the waiting time from 19 to 14 weeks and will not be happy until we reach the target of 12 weeks.