Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I listened carefully to the Minister's reply and I appreciate it. However, we must bear in mind that much of her reply was couched in the past tense, as if the problem had now resolved itself. I could show the Minister the five messages I received on my mobile phone today in respect of this issue. My office has probably received many more. The problem has not yet been resolved. We must remember that this has been going on for three or four months. It began in August when the new form of medical certificates which require a significant amount of extra information were demanded out of the blue without any notice or consultation.

When that seemed to be about to be resolved, the software problem kicked in. We have to bear in mind that we are dealing with some of the most vulnerable people in the country. They are too sick or too disabled to work. In the vast majority of cases, they depend entirely on social welfare from week to week. We have all heard various stories and received emails telling us about instances of hardship caused by this problem in individual cases. On behalf of all those people, I ask the Minister for an assurance that this will not recur. Is there any accountability here? I am not looking for a head or anything like that. Surely somebody in the Department made the decisions that gave rise to all this hardship, anguish and pain. Has anybody spoken to the officials in question to point out the error of their ways?

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