I am aware of the report referred to by the Deputy. I am particularly interested in the survey of 110 parents on the costs of having a child in hospital. The report found that almost all lower income families surveyed were under financial strain because of the hospitalisation of their child and half of the parents in the higher income group experienced financial strain.
The report makes a range of recommendations including, for example, assistance with travel expenses and parking fees and the introduction of a specific scheme of assistance for parents whose children experience long or frequent spells in hospital. While my Department does not operate any specific scheme of financial assistance for parents in these circumstances, I acknowledge that there is an income maintenance issue which needs to be examined further. A possible source of such assistance at present would be by way of an exceptional needs payment through the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. These payments can be made to help meet essential once-off exceptional expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. My officials are undertaking a review of this scheme, phase two of which is due to be completed by the end of 2005. I have asked that this report be examined further in that context and I am also arranging to invite the report's authors to meet Department officials to discuss the findings. In addition, I will discuss the matter with my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children.
