19 Feabh 2013, 15:57
The Joint Committee on Education and Social Protection will tomorrow meet with officials from the Department of Social Protection on the steps being taken to alleviate the delays in the processing of social welfare appeals.
19 February 2013
Geraldine Gleeson, the Chief Appeals Officer will outline to the Committee the current work of her office. The Social Welfare Appeals Office, which operates under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection, provides a statutory right of appeal to those dissatisfied with decisions made by Deciding Officers of the Department. Appeals Officers are independent in the performance of their duties.
Committee Chair Joanna Tuffy TD says: “The number of appeals has increased dramatically since 2008 and the Chief Welfare Appeals Officer is expected to brief the Committee on the current position with regard to processing times of appeals and the likely outturn for 2013. Recent figures suggest the office is managing a backlog of about 20,000 welfare appeals and the recruitment of additional appeals officers is underway. In difficult financial times, our Committee is concerned at the strain this is placing on individuals and families while they wait for an outcome on their appeal. Conscious too of the on-going pressure on the exchequer, our Committee meeting tomorrow will explore the efforts currently being made to clear the backlog of appeals, while safeguarding the integrity of the process.”
The Committee will also meet with Sylda Langford, Chairman Designate of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board. Ms Langford was nominated by Education Minister Ruairi Quinn last week. The Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board is a new body which will be established shortly under the provisions of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012. The Board will oversee the use of the cash contributions of up to €110 million pledged by the 18 religious congregations to support the needs of some 15,000 survivors of residential institutional child abuse.
Deputy Tuffy continues: “Central to our consideration of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Bill last year was to ensure that compensation is dispensed to the victims in a fair, timely and simplified manner. Tomorrow’s meeting is a valuable opportunity for our Committee to engage with the Chairman Designate of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board on her vision and the approach she will take as Chairperson and her views about the future contribution of the new organisation.
“The meeting will serve to contribute to transparency in appointments to State Boards and a transcript of the discussion will be sent to the Minister for Education for his consideration in the appointment process.”
The meeting takes place at 1 pm tomorrow Wednesday 20 February in Committee Room 3, LH 2000. Committee proceedings can be followed live here.
Ends
For further information please contact:
Paul Hand,
Communications Unit,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 4484
M: +353 87 694 9926
F: +3531 618 4551
paul.hand@oireachtas.ie
Committee Membership
Deputies:
James Bannon, Fine Gael
Ray Butler, Fine Gael
Joan Collins, People Before Profit
Clare Daly, Independent
Brendan Griffin, Fine Gael
Simon Harris, Fine Gael
Charlie McConalogue, Fianna Fáil
Nicky McFadden, Fine Gael
Jonathan O'Brien, Sinn Féin
Mary Mitchell O’Connor, Fine Gael
Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, Labour Party (Vice Chair)
Aengus Ó Snodaigh, Sinn Féin
Willie O’Dea, Fianna Fáil
Brendan Ryan, Labour Party
Joanna Tuffy, Labour Party (Chair)
Senators:
Jim D’Arcy
Fidelma Healy Eames
Marie Moloney
Averil Power
Diarmuid Wilson