Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

Under the current regime it takes a great deal of time for one to get one's entitlement and six times longer than in the UK. The whole purpose of the Bill is to expedite the delivery times so people can receive their entitlements much more quickly. There are specific time limits in the Bill. We are talking about a period of 15 months from the time the claim is made. The claimant has a year in which to make the claim. We are reducing the Statute of Limitations to a year. We have to be practical, however, as regards what we do. When a claim is made, in the first instance, the PIAB will have to identify the parties. It might not be clear as to who is the respondent. For this reason, to set a limit of 14 days is unreasonable. We do not want to tie the board's hands behind its back. As with the next amendment, many of the issues raised can be dealt with in the rules and procedures. To prescribe them by statute is unreasonable. If the PIAB gets a claim from an individual it then has to satisfy itself as to the claimant's identity, check the social security number with the Department of Social and Family Affairs and find out who is the respondent. I believe 14 days is too short and therefore the words "as soon as practicable" after receipt of the application is fair. There are strict limits, in any event, both on the time the PIAB has to make up its mind and that taken by the respondent and indeed the claimant to reply to an assessment.