Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 May 2014
110. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) who has been refused unemployment assistance on the basis that their parents income has been repeatedly incorrectly assessed and on that basis the application has been rejected, the waiting time for an appeal of this decision could take up to a full year; if his attention has been drawn to such cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21928/14]
View answerI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, has decided to allow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision.
With regard to the waiting time involved in determining the appeal of the person concerned, I am advised that the Deciding Officer, in making the appeal submission to the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 16 April 2013, explained that the Department had made significant ongoing efforts between December 2012 and March 2014 to obtain information from the person concerned relating to his father’s income from self-employment and that this information was eventually provided on 7 April 2014.
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.
