Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 392: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when an oral hearing will be held for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo regarding their appeal for carers allowance as the delay is causing immense hardship to their family. [8614/07]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The person's application for carer's allowance was disallowed by a Deciding Officer who, having considered the medical evidence furnished in support of the claim and the views of the Department's Chief Medical Advisor decided that the care recipient was not so invalided or disabled as to require full time care and attention as laid down in the carer's allowance legislation.

The decision was appealed to the Social Welfare Appeals Office and, in accordance with the requirements the relevant departmental papers, including a submission from the Deciding Officer, were referred to an Appeals Officer who decided to hold an oral hearing in the case.

Prior to a date being set for the oral hearing the person submitted further medical evidence for consideration by the Appeals Officer and this has been considered by the Chief Medical Advisor.

An oral hearing of the case will now go ahead and the person concerned will be advised of the time and place for the hearing as soon as possible.

Under Social Welfare Legislation decisions in relation to claims must be made by Deciding Officers and Appeals Officers. These officers are statutorily appointed and I have no role in regard to making such decisions.