Ulick Burke (Galway East, Fine Gael)

I refer the Minister to my earlier argument in regard to the jargon used in this Bill and one's interpretation of it.

As regards interpretation, where a person applies to the Minister's Department for a disability allowance and his or her application is rejected he or she on appeal must appear before a medical officer. Perhaps the Minister will say if such medical officer will be a medically qualified person. I was approached by a person who had appealed a decision and was afraid to attend an appeal because of the experience of her husband, an applicant in Ballinasloe town, who has been confined to bed and has been for the past eight years refused an allowance. The woman concerned applied for the carer's allowance because her husband is confined to bed but the Department of Social Protection disallowed the claim. I attended the appeal with her and likewise felt intimidated. I was asked why I was there even though the Department allows a person to be accompanied. The treatment meted out to that woman was intimidatory and was not good. There must be a serious assessment of some of their activities. Their object is to deny people the allowance rather than help and support them. That attitude prevails in certain centres throughout the country. I hope the Minister will send out a message that people should be fair.

Would this family have to cut off a leg or an arm to qualify as disabled in that person's eyes? That is the reality as I witnessed it that day. The claim continues to be disallowed, simply because of the applicants' background and their inability to produce accounts. This woman has gone to country markets all her life. These markets are prevalent now but they were unusual some time ago. Her claim was denied because she could not produce verifiable accounts. She would get no more than €10 or €20 for her produce, because of the items she sells. It is unrealistic to expect her to produce furnished accounts. It is not as though the assessor was not aware of her background and her activities. No fraud was involved.

The Minister must deliver equality of access to training and education. He should encourage and incentivise it. The criteria used by appeals officers and assessors must be examined by the Minister, in co-operation with his colleague, the Tánaiste.

Some of the conditions in which people have to work are appalling. When the opportunity arises, I hope he will upgrade those conditions. There are towns in County Galway where people must collect a form in one place and take it to two or more other places before the claim is finally assessed. That is not a good scheme. It is not the fault of the personnel on the ground but it must be addressed in the near future.

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