Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)

I move amendment No. 109:

In page 17, line 40, after "shall" to insert "within 7 days".

This amendment proposes to tidy up. I recognise that people who have a disability need the flexibility to be able to put together a cogent case for an appeal. If the executive or the person in receipt of the complaint is not to investigate, I do not understand the reason there should be a delay. My amendment proposes a timescale of seven days, which is reasonable. The Minister of State will reply that the official may refer it the day after receipt but I do not understand the reason for having a time of one month specified in the Bill. The Minister of State has an amendment that proposes a timescale of within ten working days. I regard the ten working days as a reasonable proposal but not the provision of within one month. Those complaining will worry about the non-delivery of a service they desperately need. Why should such a delay be built into legislation? Why not use the provision, as is used in another amendment, of ten working days? This would not be an onerous task for anyone to have to pass on information, a piece of paper, to the person who will deal with the complaint. The executive body will not investigate it, all it has to do is pass it on.

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