Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I hear what the Deputy is saying. I have had quite an amount of experience as a Deputy over recent years dealing with this scheme. I have been dealing with people who qualify for the scheme and with others who have been waiting for their appeal to be heard. It is very frustrating for people who have very severe disabilities, in many instances, to be waiting so long to have their appeal heard and to get the benefits of this scheme. It is a good scheme, broadly but there is a need for reform and changes to it. The way that was agreed to progress that was through the working group that the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy O'Gorman set up and which the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Rabbite, chaired. The draft report, as I said, was considered on 8 December 2022 and is currently being finalised. I have not seen that report but I hope to receive it at an early date. I look forward to considering it and to acting on its recommendations in so far as they fall within my remit.

I wish to point out Chairman that Deputy Devlin's question was grouped with the previous one which was skipped. Perhaps we could respond to that now.

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