Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 March 2014
190. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection the length of time it is currently taking for a domiciliary care allowance appeal to be decided by the Social Welfare Appeals Office; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10656/14]
View answerI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that the current average time taken to decide domiciliary care allowance appeals decided by summary decision is 24.0 weeks and 28.4 weeks for those requiring an oral hearing.
Appeal processing times are calculated from the registration date of the appeal to the date of its finalisation. They include all activities during this period including time spent awaiting any clarification from the appellant, time 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. While this process carries an inherent delay in terms of finalising an appeal, it also crystalises the flexibility and accessibility of the appeals system. By its nature and because it is a quasi-judicial function, the processing of appeals takes time and reflects the fact that, by definition, the appeal process cannot be a quick one.
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 in relation to social welfare entitlements.
