Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The country rapporteur for the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights commented in June 2015 that Ireland continued to take austerity measures and to focus on cutting the budget and that rates of poverty, including food poverty, and youth unemployment had increased. At the same UN committee, concern was expressed at the high number of initial social welfare decisions which were overturned at the appeal stage. The UN committee recommended that appeals be decided in a consistent and transparent manner and that the appropriate training be provided to decision makers at first instance. Will the Minister consider introducing reforms to the appeals process and do so soon?

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