asked the Minister for Social Welfare why a person in County Monaghan (name supplied) has been refused payment of disability benefit.

The claim for disability benefit by the insured person referred to was disallowed on the ground that she was not incapable of work. She was examined on five separate occasions by medical referees and following each examination the examining medical referee expressed the opinion that she was capable of work. Four of the examinations were carried out by different medical referees.

The decision to disallow benefit was upheld on appeal.

In regard to a situation similar to that, would the Minister be in a position to state if a local medical doctor gives medical opinion directly in contravention of the medical referee, what is the position in such a case?

We usually have the claimant examined by another medical referee. In this case there were four examinations.

By four medical referees? I do not think you have that number.

We have more than that.

You have not that many.

Yes, we have. This person was examined five times.

Would the Minister be in a position to say the average length of time it takes for an appeal to be heard in one of those cases?

I could not state the average. It would differ in each case.

Would it be six months?