Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I have some sympathy for Deputy Butler's point of view to the effect that in certain cases pressure can be applied or pressure can arise in respect of people looking for a certificate from a doctor. I will set out my experience. The Minister of State remarked that the medical assessors in the Department do not question a diagnosis. I have dealt with several cases. In fact I am dealing with several cases at the moment where the doctor has said unequivocally that the person needs full-time care and attention and that the person will never work again. That is stated in writing by a registered medical practitioner. Yet, the Department has disagreed and has refused invalidity pension or carer's allowance on the basis that they do not agree with the medical professional.

I will come to the point on the next amendment but we almost have a system now whereby when people are applying for carer's allowance or invalidity pension they have to go through the hoops. People are almost guaranteed to fall at the first hurdle or be refused first time. Then, people have to go back for a review and may have to go as far as an appeal. In more than 50% of the cases these people will succeed. It is a terrible process. I often ask myself what the medical assessors in the Department are doing, save making it harder for people who are ultimately adjudged to be entitled to a certain social welfare payment. They seem to be making it hard for them to get it and delaying them.