While I appreciate the position of the GPs on the principle that the labourer is worthy of his or her hire and because of the additional workload placed on them, it is incumbent on the Government to ensure that the disabled are not left once again at the mercy of the system. Medical officers in the Midland Health Board previously carried out the assessment of applicants for the disabled person's grant but because of staffing pressures, this system was discontinued in 2002. Subsequently, a letter was issued to Longford GPs outlining the new requirements, under which doctors were requested to fill in medical forms on behalf of their patients. GPs rightly resisted taking on this extra work without payment and, through the IMO, requested the €65 fee.