Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I accept some of the Minister's answer in respect of being hampered because the Department has not had time to fully assess this. Given that a working group has examined this issue, the Department must already have some of the answers. Does the Minister think that, as part of the process, she would produce guidelines and training sessions for the deciding officers covering the relative weight to be attached to medical evidence in the future? When the processes are reformed, will the Minister ask the Department to consider the cases that were refused in the past and encourage them to make fresh claims so that their medical evidence can be examined? Can the Minister confirm that the review of domiciliary care cases in payment, which have been suspended, will recommence next month? Some of the recommendations have been implemented. The form has been changed but there are other changes that should have been implemented, even in that case.

See this speech in context