Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 7 December 2017

Public Accounts Committee

Comptroller and Auditor General 2016 Report
Chapter 16: Regularity of Social Welfare Payments
Chapter 17: Management of Social Welfare Overpayments
Chapter 18: Department Reviews of welfare Schemes, Social Welfare Appeals Process, Social Insurance Fund

9:00 am

Mr. John McKeon:

Yes. They review the information provided and apply their skills and knowledge to determine whether an applicant meets the eligibility criteria. It is important to note that our medical assessors do not dispute a diagnosis of a particular illness or ailment. Rather, they assess, as they are trained and qualified to do, the impact of that diagnosis on the person's ability to work. As I said in my opening statement, we are about to recruit additional medical assessors to enable us to complete additional medical reviews. That is being done in accordance with a request by the Comptroller and Auditor General.