Frank Fahey (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

A simple answer to the question is that the assessment officer will be independent in the same way that other departmental officers, such as those in the Department of Social and Family Affairs, are statutorily independent. For example, an appeals officer in the Department of Social and Family Affairs is statutorily independent of the Department even though he or she is an employee of the Department. This statutory independence, as put in place by the Bill, gives the assessment officer independence.