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

I do not want to labour the point but I am glad to hear that the percentage of people getting carer's allowance went up last year. These things tend to ebb and flow but that does not answer my point. I would be prepared to bet that many of those successful applicants had to go through the whole gamut from the initial application to the review and, ultimately, to the appeals officer and in many cases had to ask for an oral hearing because they are more likely to succeed with one. As the Minister of State said, and Deputy Collins made this point very well, there was always an onus on an applicant to establish entitlement but this is the first time a presumption has been introduced that they are not entitled. This is the first time there is a presumption in law.