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Social Welfare Appeals Delays

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 February 2013

Tuesday, 5 February 2013

Questions (446)

Patrick Nulty

Question:

446. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of appeals for decision that have been waiting for three months, six months and more than 12 months respectively for each of the following payments: disability allowance; invalidity pension; rent supplement; and mortgage interest supplement, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5621/13]

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Written answers

The number of appeals on hands that have been waiting for three months, six months and more than 12 months respectively for disability allowance; invalidity pension; and supplementary welfare allowance at 1st February 2013 is given in the Table. The figures for supplementary welfare allowance refer to all supplementary welfare allowance appeals, including the issues of rent supplement and mortgage interest supplement. The issue under appeal is recorded when an appeal is decided by an Appeals Officer.

Processing times of Appeals are calculated from the registration date of the appeal to the date of its finalisation and include all activities during this period including time spent in the Department for comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal put forward by the appellant and any further investigation, examination or assessment by the Department’s Inspectors and Medical Assessors that is deemed necessary. A considerable period of time is added to the process when an oral hearing is required because of the logistics involved in this process.

Significant resources and efforts have been put into reducing backlogs and improving processing times for appellants, including the assignment of 15 additional Appeals Officers, improving business processes and implementing a new operating model.

- The Chief Appeals Officer expects to finalise 6,000 more cases in 2013 than in 2012.

- There is a major programme of process redesign and modernisation currently underway in relation to many scheme areas which will reduce backlogs and will also reduce the time taken for the Department to respond to requests from the SWAO for submissions in relation to appeals;

- It is planned to recruit additional Medical Assessors in 2013.

All these measures together will reduce the waiting time for appellants.

However, by its nature and because it is a quasi-judicial process, the processing of appeals takes time even at the best of times and reflects the fact that while every effort is made to deal with appeals as fast as possible this cannot be at the expense of fairness of due process.

Appeals Pending

SCHEME

> 3 months

> 6 months

>12 months

Disability Allowance

1,115

1,244

236

Invalidity Pension

1,135

1,166

548

Supplementary Welfare Allowance

237

271

165

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