Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 22 January 2025
888. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection to examine the case of a person (details supplied) pending an appeal decision on disability allowance; and if she will provide an update on the processing times for disability allowance appeals, specifically for individuals who are suffering from multiple health conditions, including chronic pain, rare diseases, and mental health issues. [1528/25]
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.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 28th August 2024. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Social Protection. These papers have been received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 20th September 2024, and the case will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on documentary evidence presented or, if necessary, hold an oral hearing.
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. There is active engagement between the Appeals Office and the Department to ensure that the appeals process operates efficiently and that where the Deciding Officer's decision is not revised in favour of the appellant that the appeal file is provided as quickly as possible to the Appeals Office for consideration by an Appeals Officer.
An 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.
The desire to process appeals quickly has to be balanced with the competing demand to ensure that decisions are consistent and of high quality and made in accordance with the legislative provisions and the general principles of fair procedures and natural justice.
Where a claimant has been refused a social welfare payment, regardless of the scheme involved, and is appealing that decision, if their means are insufficient to meet their needs it is open to them to apply for supplementary welfare allowance in the interim. If their application for supplementary welfare allowance is refused, they can also appeal that decision. The supplementary welfare allowance appeal will be prioritised for attention within the Appeals Office as soon as the appeal file and submission is received from the Department.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
