Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am asking about such decisions where the assessor is in receipt of a doctor's letter and literally everything except the assessment of need. That is where I am coming from. My appeal to Mr. McKeon is that these are people who are in dire need and already have inhibiting factors that do not allow them to work and the DCA is very important to them. They have those additional needs and are way above what the DCA would allow. I do not dispute that it is a generous payment. These people have very serious needs, however, and there is a need for a little more discretion and a little less subjectiveness. If all that is missing is the assessment of need, the allowance should be granted. The system is penalising these people because an assessment of need is not readily available. If more discretion is not forthcoming, we will have a series of people going to court in the context of the assessment of need because there is no defence for not providing it. It should be there. I will leave the matter with Mr. McKeon. We can take it up again.