Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

I am sure it is not sympathy Senator Terry wants, but that the provision of the service is the pervasive issue of her amendment, which reverts to the thrust of an earlier one where she sought a timeframe for the completion of the assessment. She suggests that the service should be provided within a maximum period of six weeks after receipt of the assessment reports. I envisage all the energy going towards meeting that deadline when that might not be to the good of the person assessed. It may not result in the best outcome if everybody is so caught up on calendar dates.

The fixed period would give an urgency and compulsion to the delivery of the assessment but that might impose a bureaucratic, straitjacket type procedure which would short-change the person seeking the best assessment. We must put ourselves outside the box to look at this issue. We must accept that the Bill is motivated by the best intentions to provide services to people who never had them. Now they will get them. They will not be patronised, but get their rights. If we tied people to the calendar dates, the result might be that the assessment would be rushed and not be the best due to the pressure of meeting the fixed timetable. On reflection, the Minister of State is right in this regard.