Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Yes. The Deputy is right that it was never in the law; it was never intended to be in the law. I ask the Deputy to consider not pressing the amendment on the basis that because it was never in the law, it should never have been put into the guidelines. For some reason, it was put into the guidelines. The Deputy can blame who he likes but it certainly was not me who did that. However, I removed it last January. I would be disheartened if the Deputy is able to tell me that people are still being refused exceptional needs payments on the basis of unforeseen circumstances since January because I specifically changed the guidelines at that time.

Exceptional needs payments are for the purposes of meeting exceptional needs. If people could see such needs arising, they might not be exceptional. Either way, the reason we are here is as the last bastion of a source of income for people. If they need our help, they need our help. People do not choose to have exceptional needs. It was never in the legislation and, therefore, it was never a condition. While it was put into the guidelines, I took it out last January, so it should not be happening this year.

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