Alex White (Dublin South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy will appreciate that I cannot really progress the matter any further than I have in the response I have given to the House. I am advised, as I indicated earlier, that the method of calculating FIS entitlement has not changed for either new or renewal claims. The Deputy has set out certain facts about a particular applicant's experience in this regard. Obviously, I cannot deal with a specific case but there is an appeals mechanism in respect of people who make applications and are refused. The Minister for Social Protection herself does not have an appellate role in this either. There is a system in place which should be properly applied. I have no reason to believe that it is not being properly applied but if there is an issue, there is an appeals mechanism to be invoked. I really cannot put the matter any further than that.

Since the Deputy raised the issue, I must say - I know I will get into trouble for saying this - that I share his view regarding the use of the word "customer".

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