I propose to take Questions Nos. 98 and 100 together.
A table showing the average processing times in 2011 of appeals for carer's allowance, disability allowance, illness benefit, invalidity pension, state pension, job seekers allowance, and job seekers benefit are given in the attached table.
These processing times are calculated from the registration date of the appeal to the date of its finalisation and include all activities during this period including time spent in the Department for comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal put forward by the appellant and any further investigation, examination or assessment by the Department's Inspectors and Medical Assessors that is deemed necessary. A considerable period of time is added to the process when an oral hearing is required because of the logistics involved in this process.
In an effort to reduce the processing times, the Department appointed 9 additional Appeals Officers during 2011 who augmented the 3 appointments made to the Office in 2010. In addition, a further 10 Appeals Officers, formerly employed by the Community Welfare Services (CWS) of the Health Services Executive joined the Office as part of the integration of the CWS appeals services into the Social Welfare Appeals Office. This brings the total number of Appeals Officers to 39.
I am assured by the Chief Appeals Officer that she is keeping the methods of operation by which the Social Welfare Appeals Office conducts its business under constant review, and that the processes are continuously being enhanced to reduce the backlogs in the Office and, overall, to reduce the processing times for dealing with appeals.
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2011 average processing times (weeks) Summary Decisions
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2011 average processing times (weeks) Oral Hearings
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Carers Allowance
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31.3
|
57.9
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Disability Allowance
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27.4
|
55.6
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Illness Benefit
|
38.2
|
59.8
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Invalidity Pension
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36.4
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58.9
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State Pension (Contributory)
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24.9
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55.3
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State Pension (Non-Cont)
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20.6
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54.6
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Jobseeker’s Allow (Means)
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18.0
|
54.8
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Jobseeker’s Allowance
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23.8
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47.9
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Jobseeker’s Benefit
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15.1
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34.0
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