Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise a couple of points but will not detain the witnesses too long as much of the ground has been covered. In regard to the awarding of cards on a discretionary basis and the role of a medical officer in deciding on an appeal, I am interested to find out a little more about this new process. Perhaps the witnesses would talk me through how the process works. What is the function of the medical officer? Is there any oversight in terms of the medical offer who makes the decision or recommendation?