Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 306: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if strong consideration will be given, in the interests of fairness and transparency, to introducing assessments in person carried out by qualified medical personnel in the application or review process for all health-related social protection schemes such as domiciliary care allowance and disability allowance. [14267/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Medical assessments and medical reviews of eligibility for social welfare schemes are carried out either "in-person" or "at desk". In 2011, over 104,000 desk assessments/reviews and some 38,800 in-person assessments/reviews were carried out by the Department's medical assessors. All medical assessments and medical reviews are undertaken by fully qualified medical practitioners who have experience and specialist training/qualifications in occupational medicine as well as in human disability evaluation. Medical assessments and reviews are carried out in accordance with the Department's evidence based guidelines and protocols.

Desk assessments of eligibility are based on medical reports and medical evidence furnished by the applicant's treating physician. Applicants, who are not satisfied with a given decision, have the right of appeal to the independent social welfare appeals' office. In the case of an appeal a second medical assessment is carried out by a separate medical assessor.

A Medical Expert Group, which oversaw the transfer of domiciliary care allowance from the Health Service Executive to the Department, was satisfied that, when all circumstances were taken into account, the most appropriate way to conduct assessments for medical eligibility was by desk assessment. This approach has also been applied to other disability related schemes and I am satisfied that the current arrangements are satisfactory.