Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The point I am making is that the average debts, as set out, are building up to create a bad impression. The reality, however, is that of the 190,000 people who owe the Department money, most do not owe very much at all.

Another issue of concern to me is that the application forms which go out from the Department, for carer's benefit or allowance, disability benefit and so on, are heavily geared to people with a physical disability. There is only one reference to mental health on the forms but lots of questions about whether the applicant can bend, walk up and down the stairs, lift objects and so on. In this day and age, the documentation is not adequately reflective of mental health issues. Of all the people in the country dealing with health difficulties, a certain number will have mental rather than physical challenges. It is very difficult for such people, including those who may potentially be suicidal, to set out their case properly via the existing forms. In the case of carer's benefit, for example, a person might look physically okay and can walk up and down the stairs but will need constant watching in case he or she walks out the door and in front of a car or tries to jump through a top window. The forms do not reflect the space mental health issues occupy in people's lives, with only one relevant line out of 15 or 20 categories. The Department seems to be talking to its service users all the time. Is there any feedback from them on this issue? Many of the people coming to me seeking help are suffering from serious depression and other mental health problems. It is not easy for those people to fill out the forms in a way that reflects their difficulties.