Hi there liketoknow
There are a number of issues that are unclear from your posts (or perhaps which I've just missed) which make it difficult to provide a response to you. For example:
(a) How old is your daughter? What age is your other child?
(b) You mention a Lone Parent payment, do you mean you are currently getting the
One Parent Family Payment? Why is your payment expiring at the start of April 2008?)
(d) You reckon you are owed at least €10,000 in arrears payments of Carer's Allowance, Domiciliary Care Allowance and Respite Care. How do you calculate this?
The half-rate Carer's Allowance
is payable to people on One Parent Family Payment, so this is something you could apply for immediately.
I'm not really sure though if Askaboutmoney is the right forum for you to seek information on your rights and entitlements; it can be difficult to post all the information necessary for other users to comprehensively answer a query such as yours. I do however think there may be other supports and (possibly benefits) you could claim.
Staff in your nearest Citizens Information Centre provide
free,
confidential advice and information on all aspects of rights and entitlements, including social welfare payments, health and housing services. In addition, some
Citizens Information Centres provide some advocacy services on behalf of clients.
If you wish to PM me I can see if I can locate a contact for you, or alternatively you can contact your local centre (see drop-down list in the link above) and ask about the services they provide.
I hope this has been of assistance.