Vol. 467 No. 4
235 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Social Welfare the precise steps, if any, that he and officials from his Department are taking to ensure that feedback from successful social welfare appeal cases is used in the continuing education and training of his staff; and his current plans, if any, in this regard. [13597/96]
An appeal against a decision of a deciding officer is determined by an appeals officer having regard to the relevant legislation and to the facts and circumstances of the individual case. All decisions by appeals officers are notified as a matter of course to the relevant section of the Department who are responsible for implementing the decision, for example, to restore payment.
Where decisions of appeals officers have wider implications, action is taken to ensure that account is taken of the appeals officer's approach in such cases. This is done by bringing the case to the attention of the deciding officers in the area.
To help ensure consistency in decision making, a senior officer of the Department provides a decisions advisory service to deciding officers across the Department. This officer regularly liaises with the social welfare appeals office about decisions of appeals officers which have wider significance and ensures that the outcome of such discussions is conveyed to deciding officers.
To assist deciding officers in carrying out their duties, training courses are organised. These courses cover aspects of social welfare legislation, including EU regulations, interpretation of legislation, natural justice requirements, relevant case law and presentations on the separate schemes, the decisions advisory officer and the social welfare appeals office.
