Mr. John Hennessy:

It was raised by a number of members today and is clearly arising as a particular issue. We may need to look at our communication material, information and supports around that to make it easier and more understandable for applicants. We will certainly take that one away and Mr. Kieran Healy can have a look at it.

Mr. Healy might wish to speak about the help and assistance available locally for applicants. Deputy Healy mentioned face-to-face contact and the importance of having a human being to deal with rather than someone at the end of a phone. That was always intended to be part of the reform programme in the GMS. It was intended to re-establish that local dimension and to keep the best of what can be done from a central point and on a national basis while restoring what can be of assistance and help to applicants at local level. Mr. Healy might be able to speak to that for a moment in terms of some initiatives happening at local level.

The issue of the figures on refusals and appeals was mentioned by a number of members. We will provide the figures. We have published figures on the number of applicants refused and on the number and success rate of appeals. We will be able to help members with those figures. I thought we had a dedicated line for Oireachtas Members, but that might be confirmed.

We will take away the issue of the grant date for applications and have a look at it. To be fair, if someone can make a reasonable case that expense was incurred between the date of application and the date of grant, we would need to take a look at it.

The issue of support for groups where harm has been the consequence of medical treatment was raised. We have been taking a very sympathetic approach to those in any case and a number of very obvious groups come to mind. I am not as familiar with the particular groups mentioned, but I would be happy to take up those issues and to take the details from the Deputy later.