Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I agree with the previous speakers. One of things we must do is determine criteria that are fair and open and that will become applicable across the board. Fortunately or unfortunately, several years ago it was much easier to qualify, it was a much fairer system and it was clearly seen to be fairer. In recent times, I have seen totally contradictory decisions made in different cases. It is no good saying that if a person is missing an arm or a leg, he or she has difficulties. Whether he or she requires the loss of both in order to qualify remains to be seen. I do not accept that. There have been other cases where it appears there was no real compelling reason a person could not qualify at all and did qualify, so those issues must be dealt with in order to bring the scheme into repute as opposed to where it is now, in disrepute.