Fianna Fáil TD for Cork North West Michael Moynihan says a 15 week wait for Carer’s Allowance is a source of major distress for families across North Cork.
Following concerns I raised in the Dáil about these lengthy waiting times, Minister Regina Doherty wrote to me about “improvements and efficiencies” which mean that the average waiting time for the processing of an application.
Deputy Moynihan said, “While obviously I welcome any reduction in waiting times, the fact that people are still waiting almost four months to have their applications approved is a completely unacceptable situation.
“Families in North Cork who are waiting on a decision are extremely frustrated and anxious. Every week that passes is heaping more financial pressure on them, and many are worried that they will be unable to pay certain bills if payments are not forthcoming.
“These carers are taking time out of work to look after for vulnerable and sick relatives and won’t have a steady income. Many of them will be depending on the approval of this allowance to ease the financial burden imposed by being a primary carer.
“It’s even more frustrating that those so willing to be a carer are in fact saving the State money by taking on the responsibility of caring for someone in their home. There’s a clear lack of realisation that people’s lives are affected by this backlog and the subsequent delays.
“Minister Doherty needs to do better. It is deeply unfair to leave these carers without any supports for such a long period of time. I am calling on her to ensure that the resources are in place to substantially reduce these waiting times”, concluded Deputy Moynihan.
