Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Question 603: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs further to an invalidity pension appeal by a person (details supplied) in County Wexford, the date on which a request from the appeals office for receipt of this appellant's file was received in his Department; the reason the file has not been forwarded to the appeals office; if he will ensure that determination of this appeal is not delayed by failure to deliver the file in good time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9882/07]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The person's invalidity pension appeal request was received in my Department from the Appeals Office on 5 December 2006. Due to an oversight the person's file was not referred to the Appeals Office until 6 March 2007.

The relevant departmental papers and comments of the Social Welfare Services on the matters raised in the appeal have been referred to an Appeals Officer who proposes to hold an oral hearing on the case. I am advised that the time and date of the hearing will be notified to the person in due course. Meanwhile, the person concerned will continue to be entitled to illness benefit (formerly known as disability benefit) pending the outcome of the appeal. The delay that occurred in this case is very much regretted.