I propose to take Questions Nos. 429, 430 and 431 together.
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.
I am advised by the Chief Appeals Officer that it is currently not possible to facilitate in-person oral hearings due to Covid-19 restrictions. However, the Social Welfare Appeals Office commenced conducting online appeal hearings on 11 November 2020. In addition to that development, the Office has been conducting hearings via telephone, where suitable. Appeals also continue to be determined on the basis of written submissions. Since November 2020 a total of 167 appeal hearings have been conducted online or by phone. It is not possible to state how many appeal cases may require an oral hearing at any one time. However, for those appeals where it is identified that an oral hearing is required, a hearing can generally be arranged within approximately two weeks. The position in relation to the conducting of oral hearings is being kept under review by the Chief Appeals Officer.
The further information required by the Deputy in relation to oral hearings is set out in the attached tables below.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Monthly Number of Oral Hearings held Online and by Phone
Month
|
Total of Online and Phone
|
Online
|
Phone
|
November 2020
|
37
|
13
|
24
|
December 2020
|
59
|
16
|
43
|
1st to 28th January 2021
|
71
|
27
|
44
|
Online and Phone Hearings by Scheme – November 2020 to January 2021 to date
Scheme
|
November 2020
|
December 2020
|
January 2021 to date
|
Total
|
Carer's Allowance
|
5
|
16
|
24
|
45
|
Carer's Benefit
|
-
|
1
|
-
|
1
|
Carer's Support Grant
|
-
|
2
|
-
|
2
|
Child Benefit
|
-
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
Disability Allowance
|
8
|
16
|
10
|
34
|
Domiciliary Care Allowance
|
10
|
7
|
17
|
34
|
Farm & Fish Assist
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
1
|
Guardian's Payment (Con)
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
1
|
Illness Benefit
|
2
|
-
|
-
|
2
|
Invalidity Pension (S)
|
3
|
6
|
8
|
17
|
Invalidity Pension (T)
|
1
|
2
|
-
|
3
|
Jobseeker's (Means)
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
4
|
Jobseeker's Allowance
|
3
|
-
|
1
|
4
|
Jobseeker's Benefit
|
-
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
OIB Disablement
|
-
|
4
|
1
|
5
|
One-Parent Family Payment
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
1
|
Partial Capacity Benefit
|
1
|
-
|
1
|
2
|
State Pension (Con)
|
1
|
1
|
-
|
2
|
Supplementary Welfare Allowance
|
2
|
-
|
2
|
4
|
Working Family Payment
|
-
|
1
|
-
|
1
|
Total
|
37
|
59
|
71
|
167
|
Favourable decisions arising from online or phone oral hearings from November 2020 to date (A favourable decision is one where the appeal is allowed or partly allowed by the Appeals Officer)
Phone
|
Online
|
Total
|
39
|
29
|
68
|
Oral Hearings Held in 2020
Month
|
Number
|
|
January 2020
|
445
|
|
February 2020
|
466
|
|
March 2020
|
312
|
|
July 2020
|
2
|
|
August 2020
|
38
|
|
September 2020
|
77
|
|
October 2020
|
6
|
|
November 2020
|
37
|
|
December 2020
|
59
|
|
Total
|
1442
|
|