Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I refer to the board of appeal. The entire board resigned en massealmost a year ago. My understanding is that it has proven very difficult for the Department to find others to sit on the board, precisely because they are being put into an impossible situation. They are adjudicating on heartbreaking appeals and the criteria set down means they have no flexibility in awarding payments. What is the update in respect of reinstating the board of appeal, considering more than 670 people are awaiting the outcome of appeals?

My next question relates to the budget. No additional funding for the scheme was announced in the budget. That would lead me to fear that there is no real ambition in the Department of Finance to expand the criteria of the scheme. Will provision be made for emergency additional funding to be provided if the criteria are expanded?

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