Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the fact the Department is quickly addressing the anomaly that emerged. I do not have a problem with it but I have a problem with the way this appeared and the rushed nature of this legislation. If the circumstances of somebody who is refused social welfare change next week, he or she will make a fresh claim but if the circumstances changed a number of months ago but he or she had not managed to get a consultant's letter, which is one of the big problems currently, and if he or she had indicated that to the social welfare appeals office, can the appeal be held open, pending a consultant's letter ? Does this, in any way, affect the process where a deciding officer has decided not to grant an application and somebody is entitled to a review or an appeal? One of the problems is that people are not aware of the advantages of the review.

The standard letter that is sent out is slightly confusing. In the middle of the sentence to the effect that the person is entitled to a social welfare appeal, it is stated that he or she is entitled to a review. We can come back to that at another stage with the officials but I am not opposing the sections.