Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome what you are doing because it is something that is of great concern to everybody. If there is a proposition to be made, it has to be based on fair and appropriate analysis. From what Dr. Boland was saying, are there any advantages in the present system that he would note? Given some of the language that the witnesses are using - I know they are academics and I am the politician – they sound more like politicians than academics. Dr. Boland mentioned penalties. From my experience as a Deputy dealing with constituents and with the Department, I found those in the Department enormously helpful. If somebody has fallen on the wrong side of the regulation and a significant amount may have been owing to the State as a result, they have been very careful and, I would say, aware of and sensitive to the needs of those people. I do not know if Dr. Boland has found that. Perhaps it is our job to get the statistics on that. When we talk about sanctions, I find the administration of the system, with all its faults, extremely helpful, particularly to people who are disadvantaged, who are poor and who fall into the category of greatest need. I do not know if other Oireachtas Members would agree with me.