Mary Henry (Independent)

I support the Labour Party's useful amendment. This is a very important part of the Bill and involves the assessment of the person applying and stating he or she has a disability.

I am also very concerned about the point raised by Senator Norris. The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Ireland has been in touch with me and I presume its concerns relate to the definition of disability in the Bill which states that the person must have an enduring physical, sensory, mental health or intellectual impairment. As Senator Norris said, relapses and remissions can occur in cases of multiple sclerosis and other conditions. This is why this amendment is very important, so that a person would be in a position to challenge the assessment and have it reexamined. I hope the Minister of State takes Senator Kett's advice on board because he has a considerable amount of experience in dealing with people with disability. The amendment would be an additional improvement to the Bill.