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Social Welfare Appeals Delays

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 8 May 2019

Wednesday, 8 May 2019

Questions (1503)

James Browne

Question:

1503. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the position regarding lengthy delays processing successful social welfare appeals when returned to the relevant social welfare payment section, for example, disability allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20030/19]

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Written answers

My Department is committed to providing a quality service to all its customers. This includes ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made as quickly as possible.

Where a customer’s appeal is successful, every effort is made to implement the decision of the Appeals Officer (AO) within 3 weeks of notice of the decision being received from the Social Welfare Appeals Office. There has been a higher number of appeals in the fist quarter of 2019, a reflection of a higher number of claims received which  has impacted negatively on implementation processing times.

The processing time is kept under continuous review and additional staff have been assigned to this work. It is expected that the DA will be back on target in the next few months.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

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