Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 February 2024
394. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent, if any, to which backlogs exist in the determination of appeals for various payments which have been refused; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8137/24]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions.
I have been advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that there were 9,508 appeals on hands at the end of 2023 and that 21,875 appeals were finalised in 2023.
The average processing times for all appeals finalised in 2023 was 16 weeks. The average time taken to process appeals which required an oral hearing was 29.2 weeks and the time to process appeals determined on a summary basis was 17.6 weeks.
Significant efforts and resources have been devoted to reforming the appeal process in recent years and further improvements in appeals processing times are a priority for the Chief Appeals Officer. A significant Appeals Modernisation Project is currently underway the goal of which is to streamline and enhance the end-to-end appeals process for the customer, the Social Welfare Appeals Office and business areas across the Department.
As part of this project a new IT system went live on the 6th November 2023. The new system has significantly reduced the time taken to register and acknowledge appeals lodged with the Appeals Office and in time will reduce the overall average processing times. Additional staff were assigned to the office as part of the project to assist with the preparation for and transition to the new IT system and the establishment of new procedures.
I trust this clarifies matters the matter for the Deputy.
