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

I thank the Deputies. I got the appeals board back up and running. It is now working its way through the backlog. The latest information I have from the secretary of the board is that 834 appellants were on the waiting list as of 21 February. As I said, since the appeals process was reconstituted, 334 appeals have been assessed. The board has prioritised the waiting list using clinically based criteria.

To answer Deputy Harkin's question, it is administering the existing scheme. It is a tax-based scheme. That is the board's obligation and mandate in that respect. The priority for the Government is to come up with a modern, fit-for-purpose, needs-based grant scheme. That is what we need to do as quickly as possible because the gateway to the existing scheme in the form of the primary medical cert is too crude. I deal with it as a constituency TD as well as a Minister.

On the question of funding, once we have an agreed scheme - the Government will of course consider that - it will replace the existing scheme. The funding already being drawn down for the existing scheme is immediately available, but we will give favourable consideration to any additional funding required. We want this scheme up and running as quickly as possible. I do not believe funding will be the constraint. I will certainly be supporting it fully, once there is an agreed position.

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