Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In the case of social welfare appeals, people are waiting 18 months for decisions on disability assessments on appeal. In my view, the provision is an attempt to save money. A certain percentage of successful appeals will mean a cost to the Exchequer. I am concerned that this provision is open-ended. Neither the substantive 1970 Act nor the amended 2008 Act contains a provision that the Minister is obliged, when laying down the criteria through regulation, to stipulate a defined period of time. If I could be given an assurance that a defined period of time was provided for, I would be very satisfied. There have been cases in which information is sought, an assessment is made and then, a very long time after that, another letter goes out seeking further information from the applicant. There is not a Deputy in the House who does not become familiar with this scenario week in, week out. The file is sitting somewhere being assessed. Additional information is required, yet those responsible will not send a letter in a timely fashion seeking that additional information. This is not only the case for medical card applications; it is how the public sector works across the board. I am concerned that there is a slow grinding down of the system in order to delay determinations. In the event of the regulation being published, a defined period of time should be stipulated. I am not concerned that the Minister will interfere in the decision-making process, but I am concerned about the process under which the decision is made.

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