Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)

While I do not want to delay the discussion, I too am concerned. I am surprised this issue has not been addressed because it was raised previously by Deputy Coveney. My concern is also due to the current climate. It is not as if there is any room for manoeuvre. According to the legislation, the person "shall" cease to hold office. Yet, as any of us who run clinics will know, there are many people, very often the self-employed, who are in difficulties. I know of a particularly sad case which is directly related to serious illness. That person is in a terribly difficult situation through no fault of his own, yet such people will be treated in this way, as if they were culpable. It astonishes me that, even though this was raised on Committee Stage, there was no genuine effort to have some kind of amelioration of a situation that is, unfortunately, arising more and more frequently.

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