Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

Ongoing professional training is an important part of the work of the frontline people, particularly medical assessors. Medical assessors are full time, fully qualified and registered people. Medical education is carried out by national and international experts to ensure they are on top of their jobs. That is important, particularly in the area of disability. Some decisions on whether a person qualifies can be made as a desk examination based on the information supplied. Other applications require further information because of an examination. That is a central part of it. I have a figure of €539,500 for the cost of the appeals system.

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