The claim by the person concerned for job seekers benefit was disallowed by a Deciding Officer of the Department on 19 May 2008 on the grounds that he was not available for or genuinely seeking full-time work. He appealed this decision on 10/7/08 and I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that the appeal was referred to an Appeals Officer who held an oral hearing of the case on 23 October 2008.
Having considered all the available evidence including that adduced at the oral hearing, the Appeals Officer held that the person was genuinely seeking employment but disallowed the appeal on the grounds that he was not available for full time employment as prescribed in social welfare legislation as the Appeals Officer considered that the terms and conditions of his part-time employment as a fire-fighter placed restrictions on the location and conditions of prospective employment. The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an office of this Department that is independently responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.