Willie O'Dea
Question:356. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason invalidity pension reviews are taking so long to process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19058/23]
View answerTuesday, 25 April 2023
Questions (356)
Written answers
My Department is committed to providing a quality service to all its customers, ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made as quickly as possible. In general, social welfare schemes which involve medical conditionality take the longest time to process.
These cases have a number of complex qualifying conditions that can take longer to process. In considering entitlement to Invalidity Pension (IP), evidence must be provided in respect of the person’s contributions paid and medical condition and the extent to which the person concerned is permanently incapable of work.
An individual may request a review of a decision on their claim where they are not satisfied with the outcome. The processing time for a review of a decision can vary depending on the amount of supporting documentation supplied and the complexity of the case. Currently, all customers are notified of the decision in a timely manner, generally within 3 to 4 weeks, as soon as the review of their entitlement is complete.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.