Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am reassured by the Minister?s remarks. I have no doubt he will be proactive in this regard but the experience of centralising agencies in recent times has proven to be problematic. I hope there will be an opportunity for the relevant organisation that wishes to make contact to speak to a person rather than an automated telephone system putting one through to six or seven different menus. The only reason someone would telephone would be because there is a delay.

I also welcome the fact that the Minister is introducing a personal identification number, PIN, which I hope ? as I am sure does the Minister ? will expedite relevant queries that arise because one can go straight to the number and quickly ascertain the status. As the Minister indicated, this is all about resources. I wish him well in his jousting with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, in that regard. However, I am sure the Minister and the House agrees that this is vitally important. The Minister is setting up the architecture of the new structure and I am sure he would see it as a personal reflection on his efficiency if he were to find that the system fell down on the expediting of the applications.