Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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204. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if the medical assessors who determine applications for disability allowance and other illness-related claims are qualified medical professionals; and their qualifications to make contradictory judgments based on medical facts and evidence supplied by other highly-qualified physicians in support of their patients' claims. [33228/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Medical Assessors are fully qualified and experienced medical practitioners who provide an opinion for the guidance of the Department's Deciding Officers. Their assessments conform to the ethical conduct and behaviour guidelines of the Irish Medical Council. Medical Assessors are required to be medical practitioners who are on the general register of medical practitioners while holding an appointment.

They must have at least 3 years satisfactory experience in the practice of medicine since registration. Many of the Medical Assessors have specialist post- graduate qualifications and all have received special training in Human Disability Evaluation. The Medical Assessors have an on-going commitment to continuing medical education to ensure that standards are maintained and enhanced.

When conducting an assessment for Disability Allowance and other long term illness schemes, the Medical Assessor is providing a second opinion to the person’s own doctor. The Medical Assessor does not dispute the existence of the certified cause of incapacity but rather s/he assesses the degree to which the loss of function in work related activities resulting from the disease or injury affects the person's ability to perform either their own job or alternative types of work.

Disability Allowance applications are medically assessed on the basis of medical evidence submitted. Eligibility is determined by the severity and expected duration of the medical condition. The assessment is made in accordance with the Department’s evidence based medical guidelines and protocols and which are published on the Department’s website - .