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Social Welfare Appeals

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 February 2021

Wednesday, 3 February 2021

Ceisteanna (429, 430, 431)

Claire Kerrane

Ceist:

429. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the date on which the Social Welfare Appeals Office began oral hearings by telephone and online; the number of oral hearings by phone and telephone held each month since they were introduced; the benefits and allowances being appealed; and the number of appeals heard by phone or telephone in which there was a favourable decision for the applicant. [5638/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Claire Kerrane

Ceist:

430. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of oral hearings held by the Social Welfare Appeals Office each month during 2020. [5639/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Claire Kerrane

Ceist:

431. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons currently waiting for an oral hearing for an appeal to the Social Welfare Appeals Office; and the current waiting time. [5640/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 429, 430 and 431 together.

The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements.

I am advised by the Chief Appeals Officer that it is currently not possible to facilitate in-person oral hearings due to Covid-19 restrictions.  However, the Social Welfare Appeals Office commenced conducting online appeal hearings on 11 November 2020.  In addition to that development, the Office has been conducting hearings via telephone, where suitable.  Appeals also continue to be determined on the basis of written submissions.  Since November 2020 a total of 167 appeal hearings have been conducted online or by phone.  It is not possible to state how many appeal cases may require an oral hearing at any one time.  However, for those appeals where it is identified that an oral hearing is required, a hearing can generally be arranged within approximately two weeks.  The position in relation to the conducting of oral hearings is being kept under review by the Chief Appeals Officer.

The further information required by the Deputy in relation to oral hearings is set out in the attached tables below.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Monthly Number of Oral Hearings held Online and by Phone 

Month

Total of Online and Phone

Online

Phone

November 2020

37

13

24

December 2020

59

16

43

1st to 28th January 2021 

71

27

44

Online and Phone Hearings by Scheme – November 2020 to January 2021 to date

Scheme

November 2020

December   2020

January   2021 to date

Total

Carer's Allowance       

5

16

24

45

Carer's Benefit         

-

1

-

1

Carer's Support Grant   

-

2

-

2

Child Benefit           

-

1

1

2

Disability Allowance    

8

16

10

34

Domiciliary Care Allowance

10

7

17

34

Farm & Fish Assist      

-

-

1

1

Guardian's Payment (Con)

-

-

1

1

Illness Benefit         

2

-

-

2

Invalidity Pension (S)  

3

6

8

17

Invalidity Pension (T)  

1

2

-

3

Jobseeker's (Means)     

1

1

2

4

Jobseeker's Allowance   

3

-

1

4

Jobseeker's Benefit     

-

1

1

2

OIB Disablement          

-

4

1

5

One-Parent Family Payment

-

-

1

1

Partial Capacity Benefit

1

-

1

2

State Pension (Con)     

1

1

-

2

Supplementary Welfare Allowance 

2

-

2

4

Working Family Payment  

-

1

-

1

Total

37

59

71

167

Favourable decisions arising from online or phone oral hearings from November 2020 to date (A favourable decision is one where the appeal is allowed or partly allowed by the Appeals Officer)

Phone

Online

Total

39

29

68

Oral Hearings Held in 2020

Month

Number

 

January 2020

445

 

February 2020

466

 

March 2020

312

 

July 2020

2

 

August 2020

38

 

September 2020

77

 

October 2020

6

 

November 2020

37

 

December 2020

59

 

Total

1442

 

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