Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 April 2024
234. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of appeals currently in hand in respect of means-tested social welfare payments and non-means-tested payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18710/24]
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 Chief Appeals Officer continually monitors the number of appeals on hands and processing times. Every effort is made to ensure that appeals are dealt with expeditiously at every stage of the process and processing times are kept to a minimum. However, the drive for efficiency must 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 below tables show a breakdown of appeals on hands for both means tested payments and non-means tested payments as of 31st March 2024.
|
Means Tested Schemes |
Appeals on hands |
|
Back To Work Scheme |
3 |
|
Back to Work Scheme Family Dividend |
10 |
|
Carers Allowance |
1048 |
|
Diet Supplement |
1 |
|
Disability Allowance |
1726 |
|
One Parent Family Payment |
445 |
|
Farm Assist |
44 |
|
Guardians Payment (Non-Contributory) |
9 |
|
Heating Supplement |
2 |
|
Homemakers |
1 |
|
Incapacity Supplement |
1 |
|
Jobseekers Allowance |
2032 |
|
Jobseekers Allowance Transition |
81 |
|
Jobseekers Means |
174 |
|
Liable Relatives |
7 |
|
One Parent Family Payment |
291 |
|
Rent Allowance |
2 |
|
Rent Supplement |
22 |
|
State Pension Non Contributory |
185 |
|
SWA/BASI |
541 |
|
Travel Supplement |
1 |
|
Widows Non Contributory Pension |
7 |
|
Total |
6633 |
|
Non Means Tested Schemes |
Appeals on hands |
|
Blind Persons Pension |
4 |
|
Carers Benefit |
74 |
|
Carers Support Grant |
94 |
|
Child Benefit |
203 |
|
Dental Benefit |
31 |
|
Deserted Wives Benefit |
2 |
|
Disablement Benefit |
235 |
|
Domiciliary Care Scheme |
816 |
|
Guardians Payment (Contributory) |
17 |
|
Illness Benefit |
161 |
|
Injury Benefit |
8 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
416 |
|
Jobseekers 65 |
16 |
|
Jobseekers Benefit |
1105 |
|
Jobseekers Benefit for the Self Employed |
32 |
|
Maternity Benefit |
21 |
|
Medical & Surgical Appliances |
5 |
|
Occupational Injuries Benefit |
37 |
|
Optical Benefit |
17 |
|
Pandemic Unemployment Payment |
54 |
|
Parents Benefit |
11 |
|
Partial Capacity Benefit |
56 |
|
Paternity Benefit |
7 |
|
Recoverable Benefits |
6 |
|
Scope |
90 |
|
PRSI Refunds |
1 |
|
State Pension Contributory |
375 |
|
State Pension Contributory Forecast |
1 |
|
Treatment Benefit |
36 |
|
Widow(er)'s Contributory Pension |
26 |
|
Widowed Parent Grant |
7 |
|
Total |
3964 |
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
