The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that both appeals by the person concerned were registered in that office on 8 February 2011. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. These papers were received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 21 June 2011 and the appeal was assigned to an Appeals Officer on 12 September 2011 who will decide whether the case can be decided on a summary basis or whether to list it for oral hearing.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.