Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 3 February 2022
324. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the current number of outstanding requests for oral hearings in respect of various social welfare decisions; when such hearings can be undertaken; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5749/22]
View answerThe 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 Social Welfare Appeals Office that there are currently 6,879 appeals at various stages of the appeals process. Under Article 13 of the Social Welfare (Appeals) Regulations, 1998 (S.I. 108/1998), if an Appeals Officer is of the opinion that the case is of such a nature that it can be properly determined without a hearing, the appeal may be determined summarily.
Due to the public health restrictions arising from the Covid-19 pandemic, in-person hearings were suspended in March 2020 and remained suspended from then, with the exception of a small number of weeks in August and September 2020.
Oral hearings have been successfully conducted online or by telephone since October 2020 and these types of hearings will continue. This remote hearing approach has proven to be an effective way, during the pandemic, of facilitating an oral hearing previously achieved via the holding of an in-person hearing.
During this period, Appeals Officers have also made make greater use of telephone contact and correspondence to gather additional information or seek clarification which might otherwise have been ascertained in the course of an oral hearing. This has reduced the need to conduct oral hearings.
I am also advised that the reliance on remote hearings and greater use of correspondence has enabled a greater number of appeals to be concluded and reduced overall processing times.
I am therefore satisfied that the use of online and telephone based oral hearings and the use of a greater level of contact by phone or written correspondence has been beneficial in enabling appeals to proceed during a period of significant public health restrictions.
The present position in relation to in-person oral hearings is that, subject to prevailing public health advice, an in-person oral hearing may be convened where the Chief Appeals Officer is of the view that such a hearing is essential in any particular case.
Oral hearing arrangements will continue to be kept under regular review.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
