Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 20 February 2013

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection

Social Welfare Appeals: Discussion with Department of Social Protection

1:20 pm

Photo of Joan CollinsJoan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

A great deal was covered by Deputy Ó Snodaigh and I am not sure there is much more to ask. I thank the witnesses for the report. Progress has been made on appeals but there are still many difficulties in terms of having experienced staff who can deal with cases sensitively and properly for people who are unwell. Is the moratorium still in place on staffing for the appeals office? It appears to be the key problem including in relation to the medical panel. I was on to the appeals office during the week to discuss a case in respect of which the files must be obtained from the Department which will take months. It is crazy that the appeal has been lodged in the computer and is ready to go but we are waiting for the information to come over from the Department. Is there any way that can be changed?

There are strange issues. Where a person applies for domiciliary care and disability allowance, most of the work will already be done, but there are still difficulties in obtaining the domiciliary care approval and the matter goes to appeal. I have a case where a 16 year old has had an appeal in D'Olier Street since last year. I cannot understand what the problem is and why a decision cannot be made more quickly. The information is already on file from when she applied for domiciliary care in the first place but extra information is needed. I cannot understand where a case is ongoing why there is such a lengthy wait for an appeal given that the information is already there. I understand where it is a new application.

Deputy Ó Snodaigh made the point that many people appeal rather than apply for a review which they do not realise is available and which can be dealt with more quickly. I will leave it at that as many of the points have been covered already.

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