Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

In all cases, full training is given. It is not about that. It is an effort to give a better service. While we have successfully reduced the time from application to payment, and the Department and officials must be thanked for this, this is necessary to ensure that backlog never occurs again when there are particular times of pressure. The nurses would be used in the Department in an evidence-based medical protocol under the direct supervision of the chief medical officer and the deputy chief medical officer. This is a real effort by the Department to respond to demands, because there is an increasing number of claims coming in. We want to make sure they are dealt with in a speedy and efficient manner and to ensure that the time between a person applying and the person getting the benefit is kept to a minimum.