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<p>I am advised by the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council (IIAC) which is a non-Departmental
public body made up of independent experts, representatives of employers and employees
on matters relating to the Industrial Injuries Scheme.</p><p> </p><p>The Council’s
primary role is to make recommendations about which diseases should be included in
the list of diseases covered by the Industrial Injuries Scheme and the prescription
criteria for those diseases.</p><p> </p><p>The legal framework underpinning the Industrial
Injuries Scheme makes it clear that compensation should not be paid for a disease
unless a link between a particular occupation and the disease can be established or
presumed with reasonable certainty. A link is presumed where there is evidence that,
on the balance of probabilities, work in the prescribed job or occupational exposure
doubles the risk of developing the disease.</p><p> </p><p>The Council keeps all occupational
diseases under continuous review to ensure they are in line with current scientific
evidence, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and is always prepared
to receive and consider new robust evidence from any source.</p>
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