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

I thank Deputy Naughten for his deference to me on this vital issue, although I am not so sure I am the expert on it. I would be anxious to hear the Minister of State's response. We all attend social welfare hearings, with good and necessary effect in many cases, in order to ensure that the procedures are followed in the manner in which they were intended. That is one point. I will be led by the Minister of State's response to that.

I mention farms and small businesses. The survivors often are not in the position to make the best case on their own behalf and may not necessarily look far enough forward into the future to be able to determine the impact whatever arrangements will be made are likely to have on their businesses, be they big or small. I have represented countless people at various hearings in the HSE and the social welfare offices, as other members have I am sure. There is a similarity between the two scenarios. We attend these hearings in order that people know what they are doing and that they have a reasonable grounding in the response they will make to the various issues that have been raised. I await the Minister of State's response.