asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of medical referees at present engaged by his Department; the frequency with which they conduct examinations; and their present salary scale.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers - Medical Referees.
49.
The authorised medical staff of my Department is one medical adviser, one deputy medical adviser and 11 medical referees. There are at present four medical referee vacancies, two of which are filled temporarily by doctors employed on a fee basis.
Examinations are carried out from Monday to Friday of each week usually from 10 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. In Dublin about 38 persons are called for examination each day. In the other 72 examination centres the number called each day is dependent on the distances the persons concerned are required to travel.
The salary scale for the post of medical referee is £3,419 by £83 to £3,959 for a man and £2,754 by £71 to £3,384 for a woman.
Since there are four vacancies, does the Minister consider that the salary scale is satisfactory?
There is no shortage of suitable applicants coming forward. A competition was held the other day and I think we will be able to fill the vacancies.
The Minister said that the last time.
We have competitions regularly and, of course, as well as people coming into the service, there are people who leave.
There would appear to be some unsatisfactory aspect in this regard.
The passing of the Occupational Injuries Bill necessitated an increase in the number of personnel.