Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I accept that, and the statistics are going the wrong way, but the point I am trying to make is that there probably should be a minimum threshold of oral hearings. I say this because it actually protects against the likes of examples raised by Deputy Ó Cuív and Senator Wall. Even purely from a training point of view there should be a minimum threshold of oral hearings. You get a far greater appreciation of the cases and circumstances you are dealing with. It is absolutely the case that ultimately the appeals officer can end up refusing those or granting them or partially granting them, but there should be a minimum threshold. There is a learning and educational aspect of having that face-to-face engagement and an appreciation that this has a direct impact on people's lives and people's circumstances.