Pearse Doherty (Sinn Fein)

I, too, have questions in this regard. I understand the issue of skills and the fact these people have the skills. However, why do we not promote from within and create new jobs at entrance level in the Department instead of bringing back retired social welfare officers to act as appeals officers? How will these people be remunerated? Will they receive their pensions and be paid at the same time? Perhaps those are matters for another debate.

I support the amendment and agree that we need a report on the progress being made in reducing social welfare appeals. It appears the letter of the law is being applied in a harsher way than in the past. One case referred to me relates to where a social welfare payment was denied to an individual because the social welfare inspector called out to the house on two occasions, but because nobody was home, the inspector deemed the person did not live at that address. As a result of queries made through a Deputy, the person asked how he was deemed not to live at that address just because the inspector found nobody at home, but the Department could not provide a satisfactory answer. A parliamentary question was submitted on the issue and as a result of that, and dialogue with the staff in the Department, the person was granted his social welfare payment.

Questions must be raised about the spike in social welfare appeals at this time. Of course we have a higher number of people unemployed, but it seems there is a more rigorous approach within the Department. People are being refused on their first application. As the Minister is aware, many people do not appeal the refusal. I may be wrong, but I believe the approach within certain sections is to refuse first. For example, in the case of the person who was not at home on two occasions when the officer called, his application was refused and he was not entitled to his payment. If I called to the house of any of us on two different occasions, there might be nobody at home either. However, this is the approach used by officials in the past.