Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

The Minister of State will not be in a position to accept this amendment because it is not practical. Every case is separate and each application must be properly processed to ensure that the taxpayer's interests are protected. The Minister and the Minister of State, and their officials, have assured me of this point. Private consultants were brought in to speed up the process. Deadlines would make the process more difficult.

The Minister has also assured me that the €2,000 has been repaid. Has everyone who was eligible received that sum? Nobody has told me he or she has received it, which is interesting. I must check this myself. Senator Browne's amendment, unlike that of Senator Ryan, is not practical.