Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The document will only be a proposal to be considered.

There is one other item of correspondence, No. 760. Deputy Cullinane is aware of this or sent it to the committee. It deals with a person's engagement with the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection regarding the carer's allowance. The person is an employee of the Department and the Office of the Parliamentary Legal Adviser advises that it is not appropriate for the committee to examine the details of individual cases such as this. In this case, it would be more appropriate for the individual to make use of the services of the Office of the Ombudsman. We recognise the general issues raised in regard to the social welfare appeal system. It is an independent office but we will put the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection on notice that while we will be inviting it in to address the many chapters about social protection in the Comptroller and Auditor General's report, we will also be separately inviting in the Social Welfare Appeals Office to consider that issue.