Mr. Shaun Flanagan:

It tries not to be arbitrary but the problem with a discretionary process is that it is ultimately discretionary. We have tried to standardise that. We have tried to develop systems that capture as many of the costs of medical conditions as possible. We review our burden of illness questionnaire that is sent from our medical officers to individuals. The Irish Cancer Society reports almost on an annual basis on the cost of cancer and we try to make sure the burden of illness questionnaire is capturing anything the Irish Cancer Society and various studies have published. We try to enhance that process all the time. Our medical officers look at that all the time.

I do not think I would ever say that any means testing process is not intrusive. I can imagine that if someone has a cancer diagnosis, it is hugely challenging to have to go through a means test around the time of diagnosis-----