Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

The timescale for having the data in place for the new system is the middle of June and this is broadly on time at present. The Deputy should recall the Department also is introducing the system for invalidity pensions and disability allowance. This is quite an ambitious target of schemes that are migrating to the new system and I hope to have made significant progress in respect of carers by mid to late September, once the migration process has been achieved. I also will take into account Deputy Healy's suggestion regarding the prioritisation of some urgent applications in which the timespan may be extremely tight, given the illness or whatever of the person being cared for. Deputy Healy made a fair point.

See this speech in context