Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 May 2023
100. Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of appeals received by the social welfare appeals office per month since 2021; the current average processing time for an appeal with the social welfare appeals office; the efforts being made to reduce appeal processing times; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24671/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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 number of appeals received by the Social Welfare Appeals Office per month since the start of 2021 is set out in the table below.
|
- |
Appeals received 1st January 2021 - 30th April 2023 |
||
|
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
|
|
January |
1,431 |
2,287 |
1,405 |
|
February |
2,132 |
2,055 |
2,054 |
|
March |
2,210 |
2,200 |
2,504 |
|
April |
2,022 |
1,940 |
2,002 |
|
May |
1,887 |
1,426 |
|
|
June |
1,987 |
2,501 |
|
|
July |
1,908 |
2,287 |
|
|
August |
1,706 |
2,315 |
|
|
September |
2,191 |
2,203 |
|
|
October |
3,100 |
2,061 |
|
|
November |
2,351 |
2,207 |
|
|
December |
1,895 |
1,611 |
|
|
Total |
24,820 |
25,093 |
7,965 |
All claim decisions taken by the Department’s Deciding Officers and Designated Persons are appealable to the Chief Appeals Officer. In any year about 85% of all claims are awarded by the Department and approximately 1% are appealed. The Department endeavours to ensure that these cases are dealt with as quickly as possible.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.The current average processing times for an appeal with the Social Welfare Appeals Office are 18.3 weeks for a summary decision and 31.6 weeks for a decision by way of oral hearing. These figures are based on appeals finalised from January to April 2023.Significant efforts and resources have been devoted to improvements in the appeal process in recent years. As a result, average appeal processing times have generally improved between 2018 and 2022 from 30.0 weeks for an oral hearing in 2018 to 26.0 weeks in 2022, and from 24.8 weeks for a summary decision in 2018 to 15.0 weeks in 2022. The average time for all appeals finalised in 2022 was 14.9 weeks.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 papers are provided as quickly as possible to the Appeals Office for consideration by an Appeals Officer.Further improvements in appeals processing times are a priority for the Chief Appeals Officer.I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
