Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)

As the Deputy is aware, a new system has been in place since 2002. I am sure he has advised constituents about it. Applicants can return to the deciding officer for a review of his or her decision if new information comes up. It is not a question of failing to consider such information. In many cases, this can speed up matters and 25% of them were resolved by way of revised decisions on the part of deciding officers. This is a fairly new device that is beginning to work and to take a number of cases out of the system much earlier. If the Deputy is asking me to keep this issue under review and ascertain whether we can continue to improve the appeals system, I will continue to do so.

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