Róisín Garvey (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the departmental officials for coming in. Overall, what I find when working with people with disabilities and engaging with them in the process of applying for disability payments is that it is tedious. The language is appalling. That might be part of the reason the Department turns down between 48% and 50% of applications. It is a convoluted process and the most capable people I know have had their applications for a disability payment turned down for one reason or another. We need to look at that from the get-go. If half of the applications are failing, it is not because half of the applicants do not deserve a payment. There is something else going on because many of them appeal and eventually get a payment through the appeals process. I will not even mention the appeals system because we would need an hour or two to get into how insulting, appalling, degrading and undermining it is for many people.

I was thinking about this issue. I know someone who is paraplegic and only has the use of their head but works full time. I know another person who has chronic back pain but can walk, cycle and move and still cannot work full time. Taking those two extreme cases, it is difficult to see how this tiered system will be able to categorise every disability into three boxes because we all know that when we try to put people into boxes the boxes do not work. I am concerned about how that system will work if we try to shove all disabilities into three different categories. This is not only about physical disabilities. There are mental disabilities, motivation and many other aspects as well. That will be a challenge.

People who apply for a disability payment must have medical records and a medical assessment. They usually have a GP report and often they will have a medical report from a consultant or specialist. I do not understand the reason for duplication and doing all that again, as the Department is saying, with 30 doctors. That seems to be a waste of money on duplication. Who is right then? I have had cases where people with disabilities applying for a payment have had consultants, who are the experts, state that the applicant has a long-term illness and will never work again but under the current system for disability, they are challenged and the applicants have to wait months to be accepted on appeal. We are now to have a three-tier model of assessments. How will the Department address that?

My concerns are based on my experience of engaging with citizens who have come to me highly stressed. The last thing people with a disability want to do is fight their individual cause. Not everybody's job is to fight the system to get the money they deserve. I am very curious about this.

I also want to know how much of this is already decided. The Department will engage in consultations. I note two will be held in Dublin, one in Athlone and one in Cork. They should be extended further because many people with disabilities struggle to travel and they can advocate best for themselves. I would not be waiting for the Department to invite people. I would like the Department to do more consultations and reach out further. Donegal, for example, is a long way from Dublin, Athlone and Cork, as is Clare. There are two wheelchair spaces on each train. If the Department wants to get this right, it must reach out to people with disabilities, engage with them closer to home and listen to what they say.

I would love to know what feedback the Department has had from disability groups and organisations. I saw a petition but people start petitions all the time so I will not even quote it. There were concerns around human rights and the UN convention on human rights and a call for people with disabilities to be recognised instead of having to be categorised in three boxes. That is the main issue.

I do not question the Department's' motivation. I am just not sure what will be achieved by this, other than an increase in costs of €130 million and a more convoluted system. It is interesting that between 48% and 50% of applications are being turned down. There is already something wrong with the system, without trying to create a three-tier system. I feel bad for people who have had to fight and have had consultant's reports turned down. Now they will have to prove they belong in one of three boxes.

Those are my main concerns. I referred to duplication and whether the Department will override a consultant who is a specialist in whatever field the person has a disability. I am curious as to how this will work.