Mr. Colm Hayes:

From memory, coming into 2021, that timeline would have been a lot longer because the backlog had developed. Now, generally speaking, because the appeals committee has a consistent level of between 20 and 40 appeals, I think it deals with them in a fairly timely manner. It really comes down to the detail of the appeal because some can be appealed on very specific grounds, which can require very specific expertise to advise the committee. However, as I said, the committee is independent of the Department, and that is the right and proper way it should be.

I will get the timelines. I suspect that, on foot of the introduction of the legislation, the introduction of the fee and, as I said, a more efficient working system within the appeals committee, it is all around a much improved system, both for the appellants and the applicants, in that there is a bit more certainty around it. I suspect the exact timeline is somewhere between three months and five months, but I will get that for the Deputy.