Social Welfare Benefits

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 12 January 2012

Thursday, 12 January 2012

Questions (141, 142)

Simon Harris

Question:

138 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for disability allowance for each of the years 2007 to 2011; if these figures will be broken down to indicate the total number of successful applications; the number of applications that were successful at first instance; the total number of appeals made; the number of applications that were successful on appeal in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1656/12]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection (Deputy Joan Burton)

The statistics requested are in the tabular statement hereunder. The number of disability allowance applications that were successful at the first instance is not available.

Disability Allowance Applications/Appeals 2007-2011

	Number received	Number Awarded	No. of Appeals Received	No. of Appeals Allowed	No. of Appeals Partially Allowed
2007	19,989	11,684	2,938	536	35
2008	21,358	13,176	3,522	658	27
2009	20,794	10,179	4,696	719	43
2010	21,409	8,306	4,840	935	44
2011	24,264	9,246	5,472	1,699	131

Simon Harris

Question:

139 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of applications for domiciliary care allowance for each of the years 2007 to 2011, and if these figures will be broken down to indicate the total number of successful applications; the number of applications which were successful at first instance; the total number of appeals made; the number of applications which were successful on appeal in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1657/12]

Minister for Social Protection (Deputy Joan Burton)

The Department has been accepting new claims for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) since 1 April 2009. Statistics relating to the allowance for the period prior to April 2009 are a matter for the HSE, the previous administrators of the scheme.

The number of applicants for DCA that were received, awarded and refused in each year from April 2009 to date is set out in table 1 below while details in relation to appeals are set out in table 2.

Table 1 — Domiciliary Care Allowance applications — April 2009 to date

	Applications received	Applications fully processed in year	Applications allowed incl. on review*	Applications refused
2009 (from 1st April)	3,389	2,823	1,220	1,603
2010	5,457	5,333	2,576	2,757
2011	5,525	5,396	2,502	2,894

*Includes cases initially disallowed but allowed on review following receipt of additional information.

Table 2 — Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals — April 2009 to date

	Appeals registered	Appeals withdrawn (allowed on medical review)	Medical reviews outstanding on appeal	Appeals allowed	Appeals disallowed	Appeals outstanding
2009	836	189	0	293	353	1
2010	1,858	518	0	528	728	84
2011	2,270	424	293	220	421	912