Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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1863. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of recruiting ten additional medical assessors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36105/19]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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My Department is required to operate within a staff ceiling figure and a commensurate administrative staffing budget. Any additions above and beyond this require the approval of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER).

The staffing needs for all areas within my Department are continuously reviewed, taking account of workloads, management priorities and the ongoing need to respond to new and changing demands in a wide range of services. This is to ensure that the best use is made of all available resources with a view to providing an efficient service to those who rely on the schemes operated by the Department.

The estimated full year cost of recruiting ten additional medical assessors would be approximately €1,277,870.00. This calculation is based on the DPER recommended standard estimation methodology using service-wide averages, covering pay and non-pay costs.